| Summary/Abstract |
This study adopts Goffman’s concept of ‘passing’ to discuss the experiences of mixed children in Japan. Passing is ‘the management of undisclosed discrediting information about self’ and is a concept that has been evolved in the context of stigma. Since 1999, The author has conducted interviews with 139 mixed families of diverse nationalities and religions residing in Japanese urban areas. The aim of this research is to unravel two issues: First, do mixed children perceive their mixed background as a stigma? And second, do passing mixed children feel insecure or guilty about the fact that they are passing? This article concludes that whether or not the child is ‘visibly’ different from other children in Japanese society, and how their parents and teachers perceive their situations are major factors shaping the children’s experiences.
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