Ina Hein has been and is currently conducting research on postcolonial representations of Okinawa in Japanese (and Okinawan) literature, film, television series and other media formats, aiming at a broader understanding of the discourse on Okinawa and its relationship to Japan since the 1990s. Other research interests include “Representations of (Ethnic, Social and Gender) Diversity in Japanese Literature and other Media”, “Interconnections between Japanese and ‘Western’ literatures”, “Literature and film as means of coping with trauma”, as well as exophony and multilingualism in contemporary Japanese literature.