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2013.8.6 KIP Forum "Step to Glocalization Project: Discussion with American Students"
As one of the activities of the ongoing KIP Project we KIP members and students from Dartmouth College and Yale University compared our views on the term. In addition, we discussed the ideal way to revitalize the countryside.
In the first half, we divided into Japanese group and American group and listed some words and definitions that are associated with the term 地=chi within the groups. One of the differences that we saw was that American people imagine places from rural areas to cosmopolitan cities, whereas Japanese people only imagine places far away from large cities such as the word 地方 meaning countryside. The largest thing we had in common is the strong consciousness of belonging towards 地=chi that we imagined. Then, we got into 4 groups and dug deeper into those differences. It was interesting to know that generally everyone in America has a fierce pride in their own image of 地=chi. They imagine a place not simply because they're born there or it's their hometown but because it identifies them. I thought this explains their substantial consciousness towards their own identity.
In the second half, we discussed the ideal method for revitalizing the countryside in the same groups. Every group mentioned that we should sustain the local features but the specific ways to do it differed among the 4 groups. Most of them stemmed from the idea that we should stabilize the economy and the mobility of people by conducting public relation activities for traditional industries, specialties, and tourist attractions. One group came up with an idea of "globalization without urbanization" by promoting education. They suggested that by bringing a university into the countryside, more young people will come along with it and would stimulate the exchanges among those students and the local people. Then eventually, more people will have the chance to cultivate global mind in them. I felt this was a valuable idea which relates to a college town such as Hanover where Dartmouth College is located. (Taichi Naka)