Intersubjectivity and Transnational Phenomenological Sociology: An Essay on Social Empathy in East Asia from the Viewpoint of Okinawan Issues

• Published in: Journal of Asian sociology Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 53 - 69
• Main Author: Nishihara, Kazuhisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Institute for Social Development and Policy Research, Seoul National University 01-03-2019
• Subjects: Biographies; Communication; Consciousness; Emotions; Empathy; Interpretive sociology; Intersubjectivity; Investigations; Nation states; Ontology; Phenomenology; Regional development; Schutz, Alfred (1899-1959); Social solidarity; Society; Sociological theory; Sociology; Transnationalism; Vision; East Asia; Japan; Okinawa
• ISSN: 2671-4574; 2671-8200
• DOI: 10.21588/jas/2019.48.1.004

Regarding the concept of social empathy which has several layers of meaning, this paper aims to discuss 1) the most fundamental/corporeal layer of the concept of social empathy, and 2) the most practical/regional level of the concept of social empathy, and 3) the relationship between both layers. According my own sociological theory, our contemporary social world is mainly composed of the following six levels: corporeal level, personal level, local level, national level, regional level, and global level. In the discussion of the most fundamental level, the concept of social empathy is closely related to the theory of intercorporeal intersubjectivity which is elucidated by phenomenological thoughts. Particularly, I paid special attention to the theoretical viewpoint of "mutual tuning-in relationship" developed by Alfred Schutz. On the other hand, the regional vision of East Asian Community is discussed as the most practical/regional layer of the concept of social empathy. As an example, this paper argues the past and present situations of this vision and shows its significances and limitations. The result of my investigation is that the vision of the East Asian Community should be argued all over the Asian area, but it should not be confined in Asia, and finally it will be open to Transpacific area and to the world. The concept of social empathy tends to be regarded as a simple slogan for social solidarity. This problematic will be partly overcome by these discussions of the theoretical foundation and the practical development.