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Sachiko Kawai: What Does a Communications Specialist at Rekihaku do?

Have you ever heard the term, “jinbunchi communication,” meaning “liberal arts communication”?

In this talk I will explore the roles and responsibilities of a jinbunchi communicator (人文知コミュ

ニケーター) based on my experiences at two institutions in Japan: the National Institutes for the

Humanities (Ningen Bunka Kenkyû Kikô) and the National Museum of Japanese History (Rekihaku).

Partially due to the novel coronavirus crisis in Japan soon after I began my job in January 2020, it

has been challenging to define what is really expected of me as a jinbunchi communicator. This is

also due to the novel nature of the position itself. In this presentation I will briefly explain the

history of the position, how and why it was created. Then by discussing tasks assigned to me along

with the human networks I have cultivated during the past eleven months, I will shine light on what

I consider the most significant parts of the job and how I want to improve its efficacy in future.

Should there be time, I will also introduce a few of my day-to-day activities at Rekihaku.