ABSTRACT

The residents of Shinchimachi, Fukushima Prefecture, face ongoing struggles in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In addition to physical damage and health risks, residents contend with the socio-psychological difficulties of facing stigma. This research used interview and survey methods to unearth nuanced perceptions of stigma and to test the effects of the perceived stigma and neighborhood connectedness on future outlook. Interviews revealed that residents perceive stigma from mainstream media and people from other prefectures. Based on communication infrastructure theory (CIT), the survey found that a perceived stigma has a negative effect on future outlook, but that for residents who are connected to neighborhood storytelling networks, especially through community organizations, the negative effect of stigma on future outlook is weaker and they are more likely to have a positive future outlook. The study makes concrete suggestions for harnessing resources already available within communities for sustainable recovery.

摘要

福岛县新町町的居民在2011年东日本大地震后面临不断的斗争。除了人身伤害和健康风险外，居民还面临着遭受耻辱的社会心理困难。这项研究使用访谈和调查方法发掘了对耻辱感的细微感知，并测试了耻辱感和邻里联系对未来前景的影响。访谈显示，居民对主流媒体和其他州人民的污名化。根据通信基础设施理论（CIT），该调查发现，污名化对未来前景有负面影响，但对于那些与社区讲故事网络（尤其是通过社区组织）建立联系的居民而言，污名对未来前景的负面影响更弱，他们更有可能拥有积极的未来前景。该研究为利用社区内已有的资源进行可持续恢复提出了具体建议。