The Сoncept of Insider-Outsider as Demonstrated by the Images of the Japanese in the United States and the Americans in Japan in Cinema

In the modern world, where globalization and intercultural interaction are becoming increasingly significant, the concept of “insider-outsider” takes on special relevance as it reflects how people perceive their own culture and the cultures of other nations. The study of the “insider-outsider” concept through the portrayal of the images of the Japanese in the United States and the Americans in Japan in cinema is of particular interest, as these countries are cultural opposites. This thesis is dedicated to analyzing the representation of Japanese and American identities in the cinematography of both countries to identify national stereotypes and prejudices that shape the images of the “others.” The theoretical framework combines approaches from philosophy, intercultural communication, and sociology. The practical part involves critical discourse analysis, content analysis, and the fundamentals of G. Hofstede's (2010) cultural dimensions theory for a comprehensive study of cultural representations in films: “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” (2003), “The Last Samurai” (2003), “Lost in Translation" (2003), “Oh Lucy!” (2017), “Eating Women” (2018), and “Brother” (2000). The analysis of these six films reveals that the stereotypical portrayals often exaggerate cultural traits to create a clear distinction between the “insider” and the “outsider,” which can lead to a distorted view of cultural identity. Since this study involves comparing cinematic representations of both countries, the results can serve as a foundation for future research in the field of intercultural communication and can guide the development of recommendations for overcoming cultural stereotypes. Keywords: insider-outsider concept; cultural representation; cinema, intercultural communication; cultural stereotypes