Writing, Telling, Expressing Self in Association with Others: Revisiting and Examining Life Record Movement as an Origin of Story-Based Methods in Japan

Having been given countless opportunities to visit people and listen to their life stories as an anthropologist, when recalling those interviews, the author often remembers not only the contents themselves but also the “side utilities” of those interviews. The interviewees, usually women living in suburban and rural communities, either in developing or developed countries, often appreciated how their narratives were listened to closely and transformed into “meaningful” stories. Some have even said that they felt their life was approved and recognized to be meaningful for the first time in their lives. The author often feels that telling and listening to life stories themselves generates spaces for interviewees (and perhaps for interviewers as well) to recognize their value and foster a sense of self-respect.