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Institute of Human Rights Studies

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Outline

Research Activities

There are currently 34 research members at the institute who are involved in both independent and joint research : a list of research groups and topics are listed.

Outline

Director's Welcome

The Institute of Buraku Studies was established at our university in 1974. This Institute was the first of its kind among private universities and the second among all in Japan where a wide range of issues on human rights and discrimination were researched. It was reorganized in 1985 to become what is known today as the Institute of Human Rights Studies, which reaches the 50th anniversary in 2024
Needless to say, human rights conception is not unchanged but prevailed and deepened while a lot of people have been addressing protection and establishment of human rights. Our institute consists of more than 20 researchers and about 10 contract researchers from outside. We are tackling diversified and intensified human rights issues. I wish our research will lead to the solution of human rights problems.

April 1, 2023
Kansai University Institute of Human Rights Studies
Yotaro Miyamoto (Director)

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Outline

The Institute of Buraku Studies (established in April 1974) was subsequently reorganised and renamed the Institute of Human Rights Studies in June 1985, which reaches the 50th anniversary in 2024. This current research institute conducts research in a variety of areas dealing with the discrimination of human rights: Buraku, People with disabilities, Ethnicity and race and Gender. It is committed to establishing human rights both within and outside the university; it aims to contribute towards making people aware of human rights and to make advancements in the realm of research.
The chairman of the institute and commissioned members are involved in both individual and combined research / fieldwork in the various areas mentioned above.
Research findings are reported in publications such as “Bulletin of the Institute of Human Rights Studies” which is circulated within Japan to related institutions. In addition, the activities and data of the institute are outlined in the “Institute of Human Rights Studies Newsletter”.
There is a collection of materials dealing with human rights issues held in the institute which can be accessed by all staff and students of the university.
Furthermore, it is our endeavor to put our research findings into use both within and outside the university campus; our university is committed to raising peoples' awareness of human rights issues on a wide scale. To achieve this, public lectures are held which are open to students, teaching staff and the general public.

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List of Research Members

  Name Title Research Group
Director Yotaro Miyamoto Professor of Letters Ethnicity and race
Secretary Ryushi Uchida Professor of Sociology Buraku
Secretary Yuko Yamanouchi Professor of Letters Ethnicity and race
Secretary Masashi Kushizaki Professor of Letters Disability Study
Secretary Naoko Mori Professor of Sociology Gender studies
Secretary Katsumi Akao Professor of Letters Ethnicity and race
Research member Yoko Kado Professor of Letters Disability Study
Research member Tomohiro Takaku Professor of Letters Buraku
Research member Futoshi Taga Professor of Letters Gender studies
Research member Adriana Rico-Yokoyama Professor of Letters Ethnicity and race
Research member Ken Wakatsuki Professor of Letters Buraku
Research member Kay Aoki Associate Professor of Letters Ethnicity and race
Research member Satoko Itani Associate Professor of Letters Gender studies
Research member Takeshi Kumano Professor of Sociology Ethnicity and race
Research member Chie Sakai Professor of Sociology Gender studies
Research member Atsushi Tsuchiya Professor of Sociology Disability Study
Research member Noriyuki Asano Professor of Policy Studies Disability Study
Research member Myongyun Koh Professor of Foreign Language Studies Ethnicity and race
Research member Naoki Yamazaki Professor of Foreign Language Studies Disability Study
Research member Yoshihiro Kametani Professor of Environmental and Urban Engineering Disability Study
Research member Yumi Kitamura Professor of Health and Well-being Disability Study
Commissioned member Kosuke Okamoto Social entrepreneur Buraku
Commissioned member Tomohiro Yoshimura Osaka Metropolitan University Guest Researcher Buraku
Commissioned member Haruko Uchida Research Fellow of Kyoto Human Rights Research Institute Ethnicity and race
Commissioned member Mai Yamanoue Certified Social Worker Ethnicity and race
Commissioned member Park Koo Kang Representative of Facilities of Services and Supports for People with Disabilities Disability Study
Commissioned member Megumi Matsunami Sessional Lecturer Disability Study
Commissioned member Keiko Nakama Sessional Lecturer Gender studies
Commissioned member Chikako Miyamae Sessional Lecturer Gender studies
Adjunct member Mihiro Sawai Sessional Lecturer Buraku
Adjunct member Jun Koh Director, Medical Center Disability Study
Adjunct member Yuko Ochi Social Worker of Kawakami village office Disability Study
Adjunct member Takuto Mishina Sessional Lecturer Disability Study
Adjunct member Lily Miyata Sessional Lecturer Gender studies
Adjunct member Itsuki Dohi Kyoto prefectural high school teacher, Sessional Lecturer Gender studies

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Research Activities

Buraku studies research group

Research Topics (2024.4.1~2026.3.31)
  • A. Historical research on Buraku Issues
    • (1)Status in early-modern Osaka
    • (2)Urban Underclass in Modern Osaka
  • B. Research on understanding the current situation of Buraku Issues
    • (1)Understanding Buraku Discrimination
    • (2)Changes in awareness of Buraku discrimination
    • (3)Burakumin identity among the younger generation
  • C. Research on education/social enlightenment and local practices towards solving Buraku issues
    • (1)Trends in Dowa Education and Human Rights Education in Universities
    • (2)Buraku Issues learning in community education
    • (3)Buraku Liberation Movement and Community Development
    • (4)Action research in Buraku and surrounding areas to solve regional problems

The wide range of themes of our research group have fundamentally remained the same since the initial opening of the Institute of Buraku Studies. All research has an historical and theoretical foundation, as well as having a solid practical base. A wide range of research of an historical and theoretical nature is being undertaken with the collaboration of people from various areas. Such research consists of investigating the origins of discrimination and suffering experienced by the poor and by the Buraku during the Middle Ages; the liberation movement, discrimination policies and the system for the poor during the Modern Ages; and, harmony in the workplace and the history of the liberation movement in present times.

Research of an applied nature tackles the analysis of the actual conditions of Buraku from the city and country; the current state of buraku industry and its problems; perceptions towards Buraku issues; the reexamination of education on liberation and enlightenment; and the mass media and race. Through our multi-angled researches, we aim to grasp the current state of Buraku discrimination and suffering, as well as to discover the way toward overcoming such discrimination.

Research members
Name Affiliation Speciality Remarks
Ryushi Uchida Faculty of Sociology Sociology Secretary
Tomohiro Takaku Faculty of Letters History of the End of the Tokugawa Shogunate
Cultural Heritage
 
Ken Wakatsuki Faculty of Letters Citizenship Education  
Kosuke Okamoto Commissioned researcher Social Welfare  
Tomohiro Yoshimura Commissioned researcher History of Modern City Lower Societies
Ideal and History of Cartography
Study of Museum Representations
 
Mihiro Sawai Adjunct member Sociology of education  

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Ethnicity and race research group

Research Topics (2024.4.1~2026.3.31)
  • A Studies on Immigrants, Refugees, and Multicultural Coexistence
  • B Studies on the Assimilation of and the Discrimination against Minorities
  • C Studies on Multilingualism
  • D Studies on Poverty and the Homeless in Several Countries
  • E Comparative Studies of History Textbooks from Several Countries
  • F Studies on Koreans Residing in Japan: Past and Present

Japanese society nowadays faces cultural divergence with increasing foreign residents, while local governments and schools are struggling to take action. In the modern world, violations of human rights of refugees are hot issues. Considering these situations, this committee tries to study, through empirical research on the issues in Japan and other countries, the educational measures which make possible coexistence of ethnic minorities and host societies.

Textbooks used in formal education at school can, under certain circumstances, cause international friction between the countries concerned because they reflect each nation's unique perspective with regard to history, race, ethnicity, and other social conventions. This committee studies educational methods and the ways of textbook compilation appropriate to international understanding in the 21st century, with emphasis on textbook comparisons in Europe, Japan, China, and North and South Korea.

This committee also looks at various issues resulting from encounter between peoples from different ethnic backgrounds, such as those between Koreans and Japanese in Japan, and the minority, immigration, assimilation and discrimination problems encountered throughout the world, including those of poverty and homelessness.

Research members
Name Affiliation Speciality Remarks
Yuko Yamanouchi Faculty of Letters Educational Anthropology Secretary
Katsumi Akao Faculty of Letters Sociology of Learning
Lifelong Learning Theory
 
Yotaro Miyamoto Faculty of Letters Comparative Religion Director
Adriana Rico-Yokoyama Faculty of Letters Discourse analysis in the fields of French literature and media  
Kay Aoki Faculty of Letters Cultural Anthropology  
Takeshi Kumano Faculty of Sociology Cultural Anthropology Philippine Studies  
Ko Myung-gyun Faculty of Foreign Language Studies Korean Language  
Haruko Uchida Commissioned member Southeast Asian Area Studies, Migrants and Human Rights  
Mai Yamanoue Commissioned member Sociology of education, migration studies, youth studies  

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Disability study group

Research Topics (2024.4.1~2026.3.31)
  • A Rights and anti-discrimination regulations for people with disabilities and elderly people.
  • B Advocacy and supports for people with disabilities and elderly people.
  • C Community life and supports for people with disabilities and elderly people.
  • D Social inclusion and employment of people with disabilities and elderly people.
  • E Sports and culture of people with disabilities and elderly people.
  • F Inclusive education
  • G Barrier free and universal design
  • H Care work and carers
  • I intersectional discrimination
  • J Child Abuse Prevention,Counseling and Support

We research a variety of issues on the rights and social services for people with disabilities. Researches are conducted on both theoretical and practical aspects: town planning for disabled people (including the elderly), treatment and educational support for children with disabilities, social inclusion of people with disabilities, social education about disability issues, disability and gender issue, disability anti-discrimination regulations. Research team includes researchers with disabilities, creating an active atmosphere for research and discussion.

Research members
Name Affiliation Speciality Remarks
Masashi Kushizaki Faculty of Letters Clinical Psychology Secretary
Yoko Kado Faculty of Letters Psychology of Children with Disabilities  
Atsushi Tsuchiya Faculty of Sociology Rights and welfare of children and people with disabilities  
Noriyuki Asano Faculty of Policy Studies Social Science, Law, Asian Law  
Naoki Yamazaki Faculty of Foreign Language Studies Language Pedagogy, Teaching Chinese as a Second Language  
Yoshihiro Kametani Faculty of Environmental and Urban Engineering Architecural Design and Planning  
Yumi Kitamura Major of Professional Clinical Psychology Clinical Psychology  
Park Koo Kang Commissioned researcher Policy for People with Disabilities  
Megumi Matsunami Commissioned researcher Educational Sociology  
Jun Koh Adjunct researcher Psychiatry, Psychiatric Genetics, Gender Studies  
Yuko Ochi Adjunct researcher social work as community design  
Takuto Mishina Adjunct researcher Family Sociology, Sociology of Childhood  

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Gender studies research group

Research Topics (2024.4.1~2026.3.31)
  • A Survey on gender equality among university students
  • B Sexuality and human rights
  • C Research on intimate partner violence
  • D Research on memory and recognition of war from the perspective of gender and nationalism
  • E Gender and Sexuality in the Media
  • F Gender & Sexuality Issues in Sport
  • G Minority Women and Intersectional Perspectives

The Gender Studies Group focuses on human rights issues relating to gender and sexuality, using both theoretical and practical approaches. While members perform individual research based on their specialties, the group conducts qualitative and quantitative research on gender equality, sexuality, violence by intimate partners and war memories.

Research members
Name Affiliation Speciality Remarks
Naoko Mori Faculty of Sociology Sociology Secretary
Futoshi Taga Faculty of Letters Educational Sociology, Masculinity Research  
Satoko Itani Faculty of Letters Physical Cultural Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Postcolonial Theories, Queer Theories  
Chie Sakai Faculty of Sociology Sociology  
Keiko Nakama Commissioned researcher Modern History of Okinawa  
Chikako Miyamae Commissioned researcher Japanese Modern History,Women's History  
Lily Miyata Adjunct researcher Educational Sociology,Gender and Sexuality Studies  
Itsuki Dohi Adjunct researcher Educational Sociology,Gender Studies  

Common Research Theme

Research Topics (2024.4.1~2026.3.31)
  • A Intersectionality

In light of the recent increase in the number of topics that cross over the themes of each research group in the content of the research study meetings and public lectures, we have established a theme that allow the connections of each group's research to be visualized as the research of the Institute of Human Rights Studies as a whole.

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