Javier Pérez-Jara In this talk, I examine how digital journalism and social media in the Spanish-speaking world have often circulated the perception that Japan faces an imminent economic collapse. I identify several factors shaping this apocalyptic narrative: orientalist tropes and misunderstand ing of cultural codes, political propaganda, cognitive biases, and the algorithmic dynamics of digital platforms. Against accounts that portray Japan as a dying society trapped by p

Repetition and stagnation in dreams of artificial intelligence Sun-ha Hong Date: July 2, 2026 (Thursday) Time: 17:30-19:00 Venue: 2-508, 5F, Building 2, Sophia University Format: In-person only / No prior registration necessary The technological future bears down on us today with a suffocating universality, described already by Bertolt Brecht in 1939: “I stood on a hill and I saw the Old approaching, but it came as the New.” Futures sketched boldly on powerpoint slides

June 19 (Friday) ~ June 21 (Sunday) 2026 Room L-812, 8F Sophia University Central Library Organizers: David Slater (Sophia University) Megha Wadhwa (Sophia University) Hee Eun Kwon (University of Tokyo) Open to all; no registration necessary Language: English. In person only Paper abstracts and Bios (PDF) Overall abstract This interdisciplinary conference brings together scholars from anthropology, sociology, law, political science, economics, and migration and refugee s