Kōji Ōi

About the Author

Kōji Ōi is a distinguished Japanese historian and cultural critic whose work delves into the intersections of global events and national imaginations. With a keen eye for the symbolic power of expositions and urban spectacles, Ōi examines how international gatherings shape collective identities and ideologies. His seminal book, 'ホワイト・シティの幻影―シカゴ万国博覧会とアメリカ的想像力,' offers a profound analysis of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, exploring its role in constructing the American dream and influencing perceptions of modernity and progress. Drawing on extensive archival research and interdisciplinary insights, Ōi's scholarship bridges history, literature, and cultural studies, providing readers with nuanced understandings of how past spectacles continue to echo in contemporary society. A professor emeritus at a leading Tokyo university, he has lectured widely on transpacific cultural exchanges and the legacy of imperialism in modern narratives.