A rare and historic occasion, bringing critics Hiroki Azuma and Shinji Miyadai together in dialogue with North American scholars for the first time outside of Japan, with meetings at the Association for Asian Studies (Chicago, March 29), the University of Texas (Austin, March 30), the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, April 1), and Penn State (April 3).

Hiroki Azuma, postmodern philosopher, critic of otaku culture, and editor of the new journal of critical thought and social critique Shisō chizu [Cartographies of Thought], and Shinji Miyadai, prominent sociologist, prolific author, and pop culture critic, will discuss their views on the state of contemporary debate and the stakes of the arguments.