MultiDisciplinary
Anterior Cruciate Ligaments
By Alexis Jenkins
Alexis Jenkins definitely is very active from the start. Sports have always been her passion; growing up, you could always catch her outside at the softball field playing with her high school, tournament team, or family. This all was until she had an almost career-ending injury occur not just once but twice. Luckily, she could continue to play two years of college softball, but she always wondered why tearing your ACL, also known as your Anterior Cruciate Ligament, was such a big deal. Now years later, she is a Senior here at Millersville studying Sports Journalism. After graduation, she plans to work her way into the ESPN world to eventually become an ESPN Broadcast Journalist.
The Confucian Elder or Powerful Guru? Portrayals of Elderly within Japanese Anime
by Kelsey Derrick
Professionals in human services fields have begun studying the effects of ageism on aging populations, particularly in developed countries. It is speculated that many peoples’ attitudes towards the elderly could be influenced by the cultural values often presented within television and movies. In particular, Asian societies who typically practice filial piety from Confucian values could be an exception to modern ageism around the globe. Since the 1980’s, Japanese animation has swept the world in popularity due to its unique drawing style, storylines and range of characters. With the timely emergence of anime and ageism in popular culture, the goal of this paper is to discover how older adults are portrayed within anime.
About the Author
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The original basis behind this content analysis was to discover ways in which elderly characters are portrayed in Japanese anime in a general sense. After reviewing the literature and beginning to view the anime within this study, the clear Confucian ideology and history behind these Asian cultures (as seen in the anime) added a philosophical aspect to understanding how Japan may view older adults today. Thus, an analysis of Japanese anime and its underlying meanings within culture would be incomplete without discussing and implementing factors of historically prominent Confucian theology. As a senior psychology major and sociology minor, Kelsey developed the idea for this research while taking Dr. Smith’s Sociology of Aging and the Elderly course (Fall 2016). Mental health and elder care advocacy are two fields in which she would like to make a difference someday, as she aims to work in mental health services post-graduation. In the future, Kelsey hopes to continue exploring sociological research in graduate research and use these skills to enhance her occupational expertise as a professional.