Analyzing Discourse of Resistance against Patriarchal Domination in Japanese Novels, Andani Pertiwi Earns a Doctorate in Cultural Studies at Udayana University

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• Senin, 26 Mei 2025
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The Doctoral Program in Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University, Graduates a New Doctor in the Doctoral Promotion Examination on Monday, May 26, 2025.
 
The new doctor, I Gusti Ayu Andani Pertiwi, S.S., M.Si., was declared to have passed after defending her dissertation titled "Resistance to Patriarchal Domination in Japanese Novels of the Heisei Era (1989–2019)" in an open examination chaired by the Head of the Doctoral Program in Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Darma Putra, M.Litt. Andani graduated with cum laude honors, or with distinction.
 
The examining committee consisted of Dr. Ida Ayu Laksmita Sari, S.Hum., M.Hum. (as main supervisor/promoter), Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Suarka, M.Hum. (co-promoter 1), Dr. I Wayan Suardiana, M.Hum. (co-promoter 2), Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Weda Kusuma, M.S., Prof. Dra. Luh Putu Sendratari, M.Hum. (lecturer at Undiksha Singaraja), Dr. Nanang Sutrisno, S.Ag., M.Si., Dr. Ni Luh Ramaswati Purnawan, S.S., M.Comn., and Dr. I Wayan Mustika, M.Hum. (lecturer from the University of Lampung).
 
Andani is the 291st doctoral graduate of the Doctoral Program in Cultural Studies at Udayana University, and the 247th doctoral graduate of the Faculty of Humanities.
 
During the examination, which ran smoothly for over two hours, Andani elaborated on how Japanese literary works from the Heisei era reflect the struggles of women in confronting patriarchal domination.
 
Andani analyzed three contemporary novels: Out by Natsuo Kirino, Breasts and Eggs by Kawakami Mieko, and Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. These works are considered to represent various forms of resistance by Japanese women against restrictive social norms.
 
“These novels are not just fiction, but mirrors of Japan’s complex social reality. Within them, I observed how women resist, negotiate their own space, and even create new meanings of life and identity,” Andani said in her presentation.
She added,
 
“Resistance doesn’t always take the form of major revolutions. It can lie in seemingly simple but deeply meaningful life choices—such as choosing not to marry, becoming a single mother, or continuing to work at a convenience store—as forms of rejecting a limiting system.”
 
Her dissertation positions literature as a medium of social critique and employs an interdisciplinary approach drawing from Simone de Beauvoir’s existentialist feminism, Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction, and Anthony Synnott’s theory of the social body.
 
Her findings reveal that the resistance shown by female characters in Japanese Heisei-era novels not only deconstructs patriarchal hegemony but also raises women’s awareness of their rights and agency.
 
Significance of the Dissertation
 
The promoter, Dr. Ida Ayu Laksmita Sari, S.Hum., M.Hum., in her remarks on the dissertation’s significance, noted that Andani’s study of novels goes beyond the typical scope of literary analysis.
 
“The distinct Cultural Studies perspective is clearly visible in Andani’s work, as she uses literary texts as discourse for critical inquiry and resistance against a social condition dominated by patriarchal systems and their hegemonic practices,” said Dr. Laksmita Sari, who is also a lecturer in Japanese literature.
 
As the promoter, she also highlighted that while there are many studies on Japan, few are published in book form.
 
“It would be great if this dissertation could be edited and published as a book to enrich Japanese studies, which are growing rapidly in Indonesia. Moreover, publishing the dissertation as a book would also help elevate the reputation of the Program, the Faculty, and the University,” added Dr. Laksmita Sari, who also serves as the Head of the Library at Udayana University.
 
The Program Coordinator, Prof. I Nyoman Darma Putra, in his speech, expressed pride in this achievement. The promovenda (doctoral candidate) answered all the examiners’ and guests’ questions with clarity and quality.
 
“Andani has demonstrated exceptional academic quality and diligence. Her research enriches cultural studies and contributes significantly to the discourse on gender and contemporary Japanese literature,” he stated.

The event concluded with congratulations from lecturers, colleagues, and family.