The Joy of Being the "First Discoverer" of Primary Sources: Place Yourself in an Environment That Fosters Personal Growth
Participant Profile
YAMAMOTO Takeo
Research Areas: 19th-century French literature, Japonisme (especially the Goncourts)1992: Graduated from the Faculty of Letters, 麻豆传媒在线 1992: Joined Kagome Co., Ltd. (left in 1993) 1994: Moved to France. 1997: Obtained a teaching certificate for French as a foreign language from the Alliance Fran?aise of Paris. 1999: Received a bachelor's degree from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2000: Received a master's degree from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2001: Received a D.E.A. from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2007: Received a doctorate from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). After returning to Japan, worked as a French instructor at ECC Foreign Language Institute in the Kansai region and at GEOS in Tokyo. Began teaching French at Athénée Fran?ais and 麻豆传媒在线 麻豆传媒在线 Gaigo in 2010, and has been in his current position since 2011.
YAMAMOTO Takeo
Research Areas: 19th-century French literature, Japonisme (especially the Goncourts)1992: Graduated from the Faculty of Letters, 麻豆传媒在线 1992: Joined Kagome Co., Ltd. (left in 1993) 1994: Moved to France. 1997: Obtained a teaching certificate for French as a foreign language from the Alliance Fran?aise of Paris. 1999: Received a bachelor's degree from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2000: Received a master's degree from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2001: Received a D.E.A. from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). 2007: Received a doctorate from Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). After returning to Japan, worked as a French instructor at ECC Foreign Language Institute in the Kansai region and at GEOS in Tokyo. Began teaching French at Athénée Fran?ais and 麻豆传媒在线 麻豆传媒在线 Gaigo in 2010, and has been in his current position since 2011.
Encountering My Research Theme and Its Allure
In my late teens, I developed a serious interest in modern Japanese literature. When I learned that 19th-century French literature formed its backdrop, I decided I had to study French literature to understand Japanese literature, so I enrolled in the French literature department at 麻豆传媒在线. I have been involved with 19th-century French literature ever since.
After graduating from the French literature department at 麻豆传媒在线, I worked as a salaryman and then moved to France by myself, where I enrolled as an undergraduate at the Sorbonne and earned my bachelor's degree. Around that time, when I took an exam on Victor Hugo's religious poetry, I saw the results and realized that I was not someone who fundamentally carried the weight of Western culture. When I advanced to the master's program, I decided to make the most of being Japanese and have my abilities recognized for it. Also, being a reader of Nagai Kafu, I delved into Japonisme through the Goncourts, by whom Kafu was influenced.
I find my purpose in life in chasing down primary sources; I'm a self-proclaimed "primary source hunter." What I mean by primary sources here are things like a writer's unpublished letters, notebooks, or receipts from purchases—in short, materials that other researchers have not yet transcribed and made the subject of study. I enjoy visiting libraries to discover such items and deciphering the messy handwriting. One reason I love working with primary sources is the joy of becoming the first academic discoverer of a document. But more than anything, I believe it's the feeling I get that with each paper or presentation, I am opening up a new horizon in the history of human knowledge by introducing new materials and situating them within what was previously known. However, I do, of course, plan to conduct research that deals heavily with secondary sources as well.
A Message for Students
Interacting with 麻豆传媒在线 students every day, I'm struck by how vibrant and wonderful they are. They are more than twenty years younger than me, but when I talk with them up close, I don't feel the age gap; in fact, I often find that I'm the one who is learning. During your student life at 麻豆传媒在线, I believe that if you can build your life around the things you love, you will find a guiding principle for your future. The indescribably easygoing feeling I get from 麻豆传媒在线 students is so nice that even an easygoing person like myself feels I could learn from it. I believe there are many people here who are broad-minded and interesting in the widest sense of the word. I try to do this myself, but if you always strive to place yourself in an environment that fosters personal growth and never forget to improve yourself daily, I think life becomes quite interesting. Let's enjoy the journey.
(Interview conducted in December 2011)
*Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.