Mediated Realities: A Digital Discourse Analysis of Japanese Single Mothers on Contrasting YouTube Channels

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_38How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Digital Discourse Analysis; Mediated Realities; Japanese Single Mothers; Youtube; Ryōsai Kenbō

Abstract

Single motherhood in Japan exists within a social context that continues to privilege the heteronormative family and the ideology of ryōsai kenbō (“good wife, wise mother”). As a result, single mothers are often positioned as socially marginal and morally ambiguous figures, a perception that is frequently reproduced through media representations. While previous studies have examined portrayals of single motherhood in print media, cinema, and television, limited attention has been given to how single motherhood is mediated and negotiated within participatory digital platforms such as YouTube. This study aims to analyze the digital discourse construction of Japanese single mothers on two contrasting YouTube channels: Being a Single Mother in Japan (Asian Boss) and What’s It Like to Become a Single Mother in Japan? (Japan Documented). The analysis employs Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model of discourse analysis—encompassing language use, social cognition, and social context—combined with the Japanese motherhood ideology of ryōsai kenbō. The novelty of this study lies in its methodological approach, using digital discourse analysis to examine mediated realities of single motherhood on YouTube. Substantively, the study offers new insights into how contrasting digital platforms construct divergent maternal subjectivities within the same cultural context. The findings reveal that although both videos portray single mothers as resilient and capable, they construct different representations of motherhood. Ayano’s narrative emphasizes emotional struggle, sacrifice, and moral endurance aligned with traditional maternal ideals, whereas Kimiko’s narrative foregrounds reflexivity, autonomy, and a partial negotiation of conventional gender norms.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Tia Saraswati
AU  - Parwati Hadi Noorsanti
AU  - Nunuk Endah Srimulyani
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/28
TI  - Mediated Realities: A Digital Discourse Analysis of Japanese Single Mothers on Contrasting YouTube Channels
BT  - Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of Research on Language 2025 (IROLE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 504
EP  - 515
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_38
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_38
ID  - Saraswati2026
ER  -