ABSTRACT This article re-examines the often misrepresented role of Okinawan agency by focusing on the divergence between mainstream framings of Okinawa, actual policies directed towards the Ryūkyū Islands and the sociopolitical reality on these outlying islands. In so doing, it interrogates the various narratives of Okinawa and the key terms that have articulated them in the post-reversion era. It thereby adds explanatory power to extant structuralist and critical literatures, which have tended to suffer from monolithic descriptions of structural power and polemic approaches to American and Japanese governance of the islands. Specifically, by analyzing a series of illustrative issue areas such as sexual and economic exploitation, environmental protection and military security, the article uses an adapted form of critical discourse analysis (CDA) to trace how framings and policy have shifted since reversion to Japanese rule. This concentrates primarily on prime-ministerial statements from the National Diet and other, mostly Japanese-language, materials relating to Okinawa’s governance. These are contrasted with short case studies highlighting the disconnection between rhetoric and reality. Ultimately, the evidence points to a decoupling of mainstream narratives from the on-the-ground reality. The article thereby provides a nuanced understanding and expression of Okinawa’s complex interests and agency.

中文翻译：

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冲绳叙事：描述修辞、政策和代理

摘要 本文通过关注冲绳的主流框架、针对琉球群岛的实际政策以及这些离岛的社会政治现实之间的分歧，重新审视了冲绳机构经常被误解的角色。在这样做的过程中，它询问了冲绳的各种叙述以及在后回归时代阐明它们的关键术语。因此，它为现存的结构主义和批判性文献增加了解释力，这些文献往往受到对结构性权力的整体描述和美国和日本对岛屿治理的争论方法的影响。具体而言，通过分析一系列具有说明性的问题领域，例如性剥削和经济剥削、环境保护和军事安全，这篇文章使用了一种改编形式的批判性话语分析 (CDA) 来追踪自回归日本统治以来框架和政策是如何转变的。这主要集中在国会的总理声明和其他与冲绳治理有关的材料，主要是日语材料。这些与强调修辞与现实之间脱节的简短案例研究形成鲜明对比。最终，证据表明主流叙事与实地现实脱钩。因此，这篇文章对冲绳复杂的利益和机构提供了细致入微的理解和表达。冲绳治理相关资料。这些与强调修辞与现实之间脱节的简短案例研究形成鲜明对比。最终，证据表明主流叙事与实地现实脱钩。因此，这篇文章对冲绳复杂的利益和机构提供了细致入微的理解和表达。冲绳治理相关资料。这些与强调修辞与现实之间脱节的简短案例研究形成鲜明对比。最终，证据表明主流叙事与实地现实脱钩。因此，这篇文章对冲绳复杂的利益和机构提供了细致入微的理解和表达。