âPostmodern animismâ first emerged in grassroots Japan in the aftermath of mercury poisoning in Minamata and the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Fusing critiques of modernity with intangible cultural heritages it represents a philosophy of the life-world where nature is a manifestation of a dynamic life force where all life is interconnected. This new animism it is argued could inspire a fundamental rethink of the human-nature relationship. The book explores this notion of animism through the lens of four prominent figures in Japan: animation film director Miyazaki Hayao sociologist Tsurumi Kazuko writer Ishimure Michiko and Minamata fisherman-philosopher Ogata Masato. Taking a biographical approach it illustrates how these individuals moved towards the conclusion that animism can help humanity survive modernity. It contributes to the Anthropocene discourse from a transcultural and transdisciplinary perspective thus addressing themes of nature and spirituality whilst also engaging with arguments from mainstream social sciences. Presenting a new perspective for a post-anthropocentric paradigm Animism in Contemporary Japan will be useful to students and scholars of sociology anthropology philosophy and Japanese Studies. . Language: English