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Department of Sociology
FACULTY OF LETTERS
Department of Sociology
The Department of Sociology cultivates skills for analyzing and elucidating an ever-changing contemporary society from three main perspectives.
First, the curriculum helps students to acquire a broad base of knowledge in order to better understand the issues of society, culture and thought, training them to interpret the changes of international society from a variety of perspectives. Secondly, students learn methodologies for analyzing multiple forms of data such as documents, statistics, and film, enabling deeper understanding of changes in communication, networks, and the political aspects of information in the advanced society that we live in. Thirdly, students analyze lifestyle developments in modern society and focus on issues regarding family, regions, and the workplace from both short-term and long-term points of view, thus acquiring a sound grasp of how people are choosing to live in this contemporary society of ours.
Our department also places an emphasis on teaching social research techniques (methodology for surveys, observation, interviewing, visual analysis, document searching, and field work). By planning and carrying out such research, students are able to capture a more accurate picture of society in its true form and thus enhance their ability to address research questions. Furthermore, the curriculum cultivates the practical ability to articulate and share one's research via theses, homepages, and works of film. The department participates in the Social Researcher Certification Program offered by the Japanese Association for Social Research (JASR). Those who complete the courses acknowledged by the JASR can apply for the certification.
Name | Title | Field of Research | Subject of Research |
---|---|---|---|
ABE, Masahiro | Professor | Sociology, especially Labor Sociology | Sociological Analysis of Social Change in Postwar Japan. Theoretical and empirical study on Career Ladder Strategies. |
OBITANI, Hiroaki | Professor | Sociology, Environmental Sociology | Theoretical and Empirical Studies on Sustainable Development in Japanese and Vietnamese Rural Villages, and on Community-based Participatory Research |
KURITA, Nobuyoshi | Professor | Sociology of Culture, Social Movements, Social Theory | Sociological Analysis on Costume and Cosmetics of Teenagers and Young Adluts in Contemporary Japan |
SEKI, Megumi | Associate Professor | Gender & Sexuality, Sport Sociology | Sociological studies on gender inequality in school sport. |
TANO, Daisuke | Professor | Historical Sociology, History of Media | Socio-Historical Studies on Mass Communication, especially on Propaganda, Entertainment and Sexuality under National Socialism. Study on Japanese-German Cultural Relations regarding Leisure and Recreation. |
TSUJII, Atsuhiro | Lecturer | Sociology, Urban sociology, Sociology of religion | Sociological Studies on Ancestral Rituals and Graves in Contemporary Japanese Urban Society. |
NAKAZATO, Hideki | Professor | Family Sociology, History of the Family, Historical Demography, Family Demography | Historical demography on living arrangements between parents and adult children. Comparative study on work/life issues for parents of small children in Japan and Australia. |
HOSHI, Atushi | Professor | Sociometrics | Empirical study on the structure and function of personal networks. |
MATSUKAWA, Kyoko | Professor | Cultural Anthropology, South Asian Studies | Anthropological Studies on Religion (Christianity), Multilingual Situation and Local Theater in Goa. Transnational Studies on Indian Migrant Workers in the Gulf Countries, especially the UAE and Kuwait |