Academic Journal
The Masturbation Article Affair: Japanese Manga, Scholarly Publishing, and the Twenty-First Century Politics of Censorship.
| Title: | The Masturbation Article Affair: Japanese Manga, Scholarly Publishing, and the Twenty-First Century Politics of Censorship. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Brienza, Casey1 (AUTHOR) casey.brienza@gmail.com |
| Source: | Publishing Research Quarterly. Jun2023, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p132-146. 15p. |
| Abstract: | In April 2022, a first-year PhD student published his first peer-reviewed article in the journal Qualitative Research. Less than four months later, amid viral public outrage, that article, Karl Andersson's "I am not alone – we are all alone: Using masturbation as an ethnographic method in research on shota subculture in Japan," was removed from publication and formally retracted by the Journal Editors. This paper explores the controversy surrounding the so-called "masturbation article" and its relevance to the field of publishing studies. I begin with a general overview of the shota manga genre and its legal context and provide a factual short history of the affair. I then demonstrate what a good-faith positive peer review of Andersson's article may have included and critically assess Qualitative Research's Retraction Notice, alongside other published ethical complaints. I conclude by showing how both Andersson's article and the Japanese manga he studies have been censored for the same reasons, with troubling implications for freedom of speech in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Subject Terms: | *Scholarly publishing, *Censorship, *Academic freedom, *Freedom of speech, Manga (Art), Twenty-first century, Masturbation, Student affairs services |
| Geographic Terms: | Japan |
| Copyright of Publishing Research Quarterly is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| ISSN: | 10538801 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s12109-022-09916-y |
| Database: | Communication & Mass Media Complete |
| Full text is not displayed to guests. | Login for full access. |