DSpace Collection: 2007-03
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20474
2007-032024-03-29T13:55:39ZStreet Children as M arginal People: The Relationship between Life History and Social Networks on the Street
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20499
Title: Street Children as M arginal People: The Relationship between Life History and Social Networks on the Street
Authors: SUCHARITKUL, Juthathip
Abstract: This paper assumes that street children are victims of socioeconomic development policy. As a consequence of the street life experience, children are labeled as street children by society and their way of their life is different from ordinary children, thus pushing them to become marginalized people. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Street Children phenomenon, and especially to study the relationship between their life history and personal networks on the street. The focus is to explain why street children are pushed into becoming marginal people. To do this, I conducted personal interviews with two street children and seven people related to them in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The main findings were:
(1) The life histories of street children show that their lives are related to a special group, especially in non-kin relationships.
(2) The core of their networks consists of friends who are fellow street children in the close zone who can help them to survive on the street; these close zone people are non-kin.
(3) Street children survive by themselves and know that their lives are different from others, so they need space for activities and want to isolate themselves from others to protect their lives. They lose the loose zone network which provides support such as new opportunities and information to raise their socio-economic status.
(4) Street children have weak status in society because the street children network domains are constricted, and most network agents do not support them to re-enter mainstream society, but rather, push them to become marginal people. From these results, it is suggested that the government and third sector parties (including NGOs) should focus more on street children support networks to solve the street children problem.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZSUCHARITKUL, JuthathipThis paper assumes that street children are victims of socioeconomic development policy. As a consequence of the street life experience, children are labeled as street children by society and their way of their life is different from ordinary children, thus pushing them to become marginalized people. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Street Children phenomenon, and especially to study the relationship between their life history and personal networks on the street. The focus is to explain why street children are pushed into becoming marginal people. To do this, I conducted personal interviews with two street children and seven people related to them in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The main findings were:
(1) The life histories of street children show that their lives are related to a special group, especially in non-kin relationships.
(2) The core of their networks consists of friends who are fellow street children in the close zone who can help them to survive on the street; these close zone people are non-kin.
(3) Street children survive by themselves and know that their lives are different from others, so they need space for activities and want to isolate themselves from others to protect their lives. They lose the loose zone network which provides support such as new opportunities and information to raise their socio-economic status.
(4) Street children have weak status in society because the street children network domains are constricted, and most network agents do not support them to re-enter mainstream society, but rather, push them to become marginal people. From these results, it is suggested that the government and third sector parties (including NGOs) should focus more on street children support networks to solve the street children problem.M arriages in Japan between Thai and Japanese: A Living Strategy for Thai Women
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20498
Title: M arriages in Japan between Thai and Japanese: A Living Strategy for Thai Women
Authors: KULPRANGTHONG, Teerapol
Abstract: This research focused specifically on international marriages between Thai and Japanese. The aim is to investigate how Thai women maintain their families in both counties and prevent cultural conflict that may cause an adverse effect on the domestic sphere in the future. The research was conducted using informal interviews (1-2 hours per person) with a representative group of 28 women living in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido. The results suggested that most women came from the northern region of Thailand. Some of the marriages resulted from friends' introductions to Japanese men, whereas others resulted from encounters at work or school. Respondents reported that the most important reasons to come to Japan was the guarantee of a stable life being supported by their husbands and the opportunity to get a job with good income. Another reason was that their social status would be raised in comparison to that in Thailand by showing their successful life to their cousins. Respondents explained issues about their life in Japan such as family pressure, bullying of their children,and a large generation gap with their husband. All of these problems were worse as they lacked close confidants to share their problems with and language ability to make clear communication to their husband and the other members in the family; typically the family in Japan comprises of a father, a mother, and children. In addition, the relationships with neighbors usually are not close. They said that they release their troubles by either calling their cousins in Thailand or joining the Thai Cyber Society to share their feelings, to ease their mind, and to receive information. Moreover, they have thought about going back to Thailand when they no longer need to stay in Japan.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZKULPRANGTHONG, TeerapolThis research focused specifically on international marriages between Thai and Japanese. The aim is to investigate how Thai women maintain their families in both counties and prevent cultural conflict that may cause an adverse effect on the domestic sphere in the future. The research was conducted using informal interviews (1-2 hours per person) with a representative group of 28 women living in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido. The results suggested that most women came from the northern region of Thailand. Some of the marriages resulted from friends' introductions to Japanese men, whereas others resulted from encounters at work or school. Respondents reported that the most important reasons to come to Japan was the guarantee of a stable life being supported by their husbands and the opportunity to get a job with good income. Another reason was that their social status would be raised in comparison to that in Thailand by showing their successful life to their cousins. Respondents explained issues about their life in Japan such as family pressure, bullying of their children,and a large generation gap with their husband. All of these problems were worse as they lacked close confidants to share their problems with and language ability to make clear communication to their husband and the other members in the family; typically the family in Japan comprises of a father, a mother, and children. In addition, the relationships with neighbors usually are not close. They said that they release their troubles by either calling their cousins in Thailand or joining the Thai Cyber Society to share their feelings, to ease their mind, and to receive information. Moreover, they have thought about going back to Thailand when they no longer need to stay in Japan.Shaping Experience in Landscape and Soundscape Design
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20497
Title: Shaping Experience in Landscape and Soundscape Design
Authors: Katagiri, Yasuaki
Abstract: This study treats both landscape design and soundscape design as similar processes of reproduction and practice. In the process of designing landscape, designers create simple ambiguous shapes not found in previous landscape in both landscape and soundscape design. Landscape designers make stylised shapes to avoid more natural shapes that they dislike. Soundscape designers do the same thing,but they also want to make original objects that appeal to them and have never existed before. The totality of landscape can be felt as a reflection of the designer's subjectivity rather than an integral object. Simple geometric shapes are considered to reflect the feelings experienced by the designer, and these ambiguous shapes can be contrasted with actual objects in experiencing landscape.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZKatagiri, YasuakiThis study treats both landscape design and soundscape design as similar processes of reproduction and practice. In the process of designing landscape, designers create simple ambiguous shapes not found in previous landscape in both landscape and soundscape design. Landscape designers make stylised shapes to avoid more natural shapes that they dislike. Soundscape designers do the same thing,but they also want to make original objects that appeal to them and have never existed before. The totality of landscape can be felt as a reflection of the designer's subjectivity rather than an integral object. Simple geometric shapes are considered to reflect the feelings experienced by the designer, and these ambiguous shapes can be contrasted with actual objects in experiencing landscape.Risk Communication and Deliberative Democracy: How Democratic Is Risk Communication?
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20481
Title: Risk Communication and Deliberative Democracy: How Democratic Is Risk Communication?
Authors: Fukamizu, Mamoru
Abstract: Since the late 1980s, many risk communication studies have discussed the importance of democratic procedure. Such studies have emphasized the introduction of lay opinions and viewpoints into the policy process rather than technocratic policy making, two-way (interactive) communication rather than one-way one, and mutual understanding or consensus rather than persuading the public to accept the experts' judgments. In short, risk communication studies have required more and more citizen engagement in the policy making process. But despite the emphasis on "democracy", many of these risk communication studies have overlooked the importance of democratic procedure itself, whereas they seem to focus on achieving desirable outcomes by using it in risk communication practice. If democratic risk communication deserves the name of "democracy", how democratic is risk communication? For this reason, this paper aims to find a clue to evaluating risk communication from the standpoint of political philosophy. So, to explain the democratic feature of risk communication, I attempt to compare it with public participation from the perspective of deliberative democracy, which is an emerging concept in political theory and political philosophy. In the second section, I outline the risk communication studies which focused on democracy from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, and the grounds for regarding the democratic model as democratic. In the third section,I discuss the reasons for requiring public participation in risk-related decision making. In the fourth section, I examine the differences between risk communication and public participation. And the final section pursues the possibility of evaluating risk communication from the perspective of deliberative democracy. Whereas this approach is overly speculative, it will provide the meanings of the term "democracy" in risk communication study.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZFukamizu, MamoruSince the late 1980s, many risk communication studies have discussed the importance of democratic procedure. Such studies have emphasized the introduction of lay opinions and viewpoints into the policy process rather than technocratic policy making, two-way (interactive) communication rather than one-way one, and mutual understanding or consensus rather than persuading the public to accept the experts' judgments. In short, risk communication studies have required more and more citizen engagement in the policy making process. But despite the emphasis on "democracy", many of these risk communication studies have overlooked the importance of democratic procedure itself, whereas they seem to focus on achieving desirable outcomes by using it in risk communication practice. If democratic risk communication deserves the name of "democracy", how democratic is risk communication? For this reason, this paper aims to find a clue to evaluating risk communication from the standpoint of political philosophy. So, to explain the democratic feature of risk communication, I attempt to compare it with public participation from the perspective of deliberative democracy, which is an emerging concept in political theory and political philosophy. In the second section, I outline the risk communication studies which focused on democracy from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, and the grounds for regarding the democratic model as democratic. In the third section,I discuss the reasons for requiring public participation in risk-related decision making. In the fourth section, I examine the differences between risk communication and public participation. And the final section pursues the possibility of evaluating risk communication from the perspective of deliberative democracy. Whereas this approach is overly speculative, it will provide the meanings of the term "democracy" in risk communication study.The Establishment and Expansion of Northern Studies: Graduate School of Letters Open Symposium Report
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20480
Title: The Establishment and Expansion of Northern Studies: Graduate School of Letters Open Symposium Report
Authors: Tsumagari, Toshiro2007-02-28T15:00:00ZTsumagari, ToshiroMover-oriented approach to understand rural-urban interaction:a case from Sarawak, Malaysia
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20479
Title: Mover-oriented approach to understand rural-urban interaction:a case from Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Soda, Ryoji
Abstract: This paper describes the entire picture of the mobility of indigenous people (the Iban) of Sarawak, Malaysia, between rural and urban areas, and tries to redefine the meaning of 'rural' and 'urban' for mobile people. While the Iban villages have been experiencing significant out-migration over the previous few decades, most of rural-to-urban migrants retain village 'membership' regardless of their current place of residence. Urban dwellers set up residential bases in both town and village, frequently moving between the two areas. This paper emphasizes that the Iban are stretching the notions of 'household' and 'village member' to secure and integrate multiple residences or multiple belonging. It can be said that individuals are endeavoring to integrate rural and urban lives by extending their living space across the two areas. Focusing on the movers who have embodied the integration of rural and urban space may aid in analyzing for clarifying rural-urban interactions. This mover-oriented focus would suggest a possible approach to reconsider the discontinuity between rural and urban studies.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZSoda, RyojiThis paper describes the entire picture of the mobility of indigenous people (the Iban) of Sarawak, Malaysia, between rural and urban areas, and tries to redefine the meaning of 'rural' and 'urban' for mobile people. While the Iban villages have been experiencing significant out-migration over the previous few decades, most of rural-to-urban migrants retain village 'membership' regardless of their current place of residence. Urban dwellers set up residential bases in both town and village, frequently moving between the two areas. This paper emphasizes that the Iban are stretching the notions of 'household' and 'village member' to secure and integrate multiple residences or multiple belonging. It can be said that individuals are endeavoring to integrate rural and urban lives by extending their living space across the two areas. Focusing on the movers who have embodied the integration of rural and urban space may aid in analyzing for clarifying rural-urban interactions. This mover-oriented focus would suggest a possible approach to reconsider the discontinuity between rural and urban studies.How We Japanese Become Christians
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20477
Title: How We Japanese Become Christians
Authors: Sasaki, Kei
Abstract: I have studied the Bible "academically," namely according to the method of Biblical Criticism. It was traditionally called "historical-critical" claiming simply that it could be "objective." But recently it has a new trend, which takes into consideration the various readers, even including "I myself" as a "real reader." In my opinion, this trend is not accidental, but hermeneutically inevitable. It is useful to do a case study of this new trend of Biblical Criticism,examining the thought of Uchimura Kanzo (内村鑑三; 1861-1930), a famous scholar and founder of a very Japanese Christianity "Mukyoukai [無教会]" = "Non-Church" movement in the Meiji era, especially his commentary on the Gospel of John in the Bible. From today's viewpoint, we can find many interesting, rather bizarre, comments in it. We might say that his commentaries are simple introductions to European or American Biblical academism. Ironically, they have a kind of academic exoticism, which probably his contemporaries could have accepted willingly. Also we could say that his interpretations about the verses of the Gospel are sometimes very manly and moralistic in a Confucian sense. His interpretations of the Bible have a close connection with many aspects of his thought. He wanted to exclude not only local but also impure elements of American or European Christianity to extract "the most purely spiritual" Christianity. And he had a conviction that only the Japanese can do it, in fact that it was Japan's calling to do so. But in reality Uchimura made a kind of amalgamation with Christianity and some Japanese ideals or mentalities at that time: Nationalism, (Confucian) Authoritarianism, Uprightness (especially with his hatred for money), Spiritualism (as opposed to materialism in the U.S.), and also probably a kind of Pragmatism (even if he doesn't like the word and concept in a sense).2007-02-28T15:00:00ZSasaki, KeiI have studied the Bible "academically," namely according to the method of Biblical Criticism. It was traditionally called "historical-critical" claiming simply that it could be "objective." But recently it has a new trend, which takes into consideration the various readers, even including "I myself" as a "real reader." In my opinion, this trend is not accidental, but hermeneutically inevitable. It is useful to do a case study of this new trend of Biblical Criticism,examining the thought of Uchimura Kanzo (内村鑑三; 1861-1930), a famous scholar and founder of a very Japanese Christianity "Mukyoukai [無教会]" = "Non-Church" movement in the Meiji era, especially his commentary on the Gospel of John in the Bible. From today's viewpoint, we can find many interesting, rather bizarre, comments in it. We might say that his commentaries are simple introductions to European or American Biblical academism. Ironically, they have a kind of academic exoticism, which probably his contemporaries could have accepted willingly. Also we could say that his interpretations about the verses of the Gospel are sometimes very manly and moralistic in a Confucian sense. His interpretations of the Bible have a close connection with many aspects of his thought. He wanted to exclude not only local but also impure elements of American or European Christianity to extract "the most purely spiritual" Christianity. And he had a conviction that only the Japanese can do it, in fact that it was Japan's calling to do so. But in reality Uchimura made a kind of amalgamation with Christianity and some Japanese ideals or mentalities at that time: Nationalism, (Confucian) Authoritarianism, Uprightness (especially with his hatred for money), Spiritualism (as opposed to materialism in the U.S.), and also probably a kind of Pragmatism (even if he doesn't like the word and concept in a sense).The Structure of Abuse in a Religious Group : The Case of the Holy God Central Church
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20476
Title: The Structure of Abuse in a Religious Group : The Case of the Holy God Central Church
Authors: Sakurai, Yoshihide
Abstract: Although sexual harassment by superiors in schools,offices,and molestation on streets and trains have been appearing in every morning paper in Japan, such news in religious institutions are rarely reported except for scandals by controversial new religions. In orthodox Christianity, sexual abuse has been a taboo. However, on April 25th, 2005 a pastor, 61 years of age,was arrested for allegedly raping seven junior high school girls and molesting other women in his church, "Seishin Tchuo Kyokai (Sacred Central Church)." On February 21st, 2006, he received a sentence of 20 years imprisonment. This pastor studied theology with Pentecostal church in Korea and founded his independent church in 1986, then expanded his mission to include 22 branch churches, 57 vice pastors, and approximately 1,300 believers. Since this incident, most of the embarrassed members have defected, yet a few branches still hold faith with him. Japanese orthodox Christianity could not expand its missionary to the general public in Japan (less than 1%) and suffered from aging of church members and budget deficits. On the other hand, Pentecostal church movement has been popular among young and middle aged Japanese. Excessive enforced missionary work, donations and devotion to a religious superior are controversial issue among Japanese Christians. This paper studies sexual harassment by pastors as a typical case of spiritual abuse in cultic churches, which has been argued by several Christian activists criticizing "cults." They insist that the cult controversy should not be limited in new religions, but rather be extended to the imbalanced relation between all charismatic leaders and true believers in all religions. By adding more cases, I will illustrate Japanese spiritual landscape, where people seek antidote of meaninglessness and salvation from competitive society, but replaced their hope by delusive convictions, and as a result, suffered a tragic ending.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZSakurai, YoshihideAlthough sexual harassment by superiors in schools,offices,and molestation on streets and trains have been appearing in every morning paper in Japan, such news in religious institutions are rarely reported except for scandals by controversial new religions. In orthodox Christianity, sexual abuse has been a taboo. However, on April 25th, 2005 a pastor, 61 years of age,was arrested for allegedly raping seven junior high school girls and molesting other women in his church, "Seishin Tchuo Kyokai (Sacred Central Church)." On February 21st, 2006, he received a sentence of 20 years imprisonment. This pastor studied theology with Pentecostal church in Korea and founded his independent church in 1986, then expanded his mission to include 22 branch churches, 57 vice pastors, and approximately 1,300 believers. Since this incident, most of the embarrassed members have defected, yet a few branches still hold faith with him. Japanese orthodox Christianity could not expand its missionary to the general public in Japan (less than 1%) and suffered from aging of church members and budget deficits. On the other hand, Pentecostal church movement has been popular among young and middle aged Japanese. Excessive enforced missionary work, donations and devotion to a religious superior are controversial issue among Japanese Christians. This paper studies sexual harassment by pastors as a typical case of spiritual abuse in cultic churches, which has been argued by several Christian activists criticizing "cults." They insist that the cult controversy should not be limited in new religions, but rather be extended to the imbalanced relation between all charismatic leaders and true believers in all religions. By adding more cases, I will illustrate Japanese spiritual landscape, where people seek antidote of meaninglessness and salvation from competitive society, but replaced their hope by delusive convictions, and as a result, suffered a tragic ending.Peacebuilding from Below: Theoretical and M ethodological Considerations toward an Anthropological Study on Peace
http://hdl.handle.net/2115/20475
Title: Peacebuilding from Below: Theoretical and M ethodological Considerations toward an Anthropological Study on Peace
Authors: Oda, Hiroshi
Abstract: Who builds peace? In previous studies, it has been supposed that the main actors of peacebuilding are states, UN organizations or international NGOs. By comparison, local residents or private citizens are mere recipients of outside intervention. Nevertheless "ordinary persons" are recently gaining attention as significant actors in peacebuilding, but the traditional negative models of peace continue to restrict how we can explain their involvement in the peace process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework and methodology to investigate the "hidden peacebuilding" by such non-state actors. The relatively new model of health, "salutogenesis" can broaden peace concepts by pointing to conceptual parallels between "peace" and "health". Peacebuilding by non-state actors is named here "peacebuilding from below" and its characteristics are clarified using socio-cultural anthropological models. An overview of anthropological study on peace is given. In conclusion, reforms in ethnographic methodology are suggested to better promote anthropological research on peacebuilding from below.2007-02-28T15:00:00ZOda, HiroshiWho builds peace? In previous studies, it has been supposed that the main actors of peacebuilding are states, UN organizations or international NGOs. By comparison, local residents or private citizens are mere recipients of outside intervention. Nevertheless "ordinary persons" are recently gaining attention as significant actors in peacebuilding, but the traditional negative models of peace continue to restrict how we can explain their involvement in the peace process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework and methodology to investigate the "hidden peacebuilding" by such non-state actors. The relatively new model of health, "salutogenesis" can broaden peace concepts by pointing to conceptual parallels between "peace" and "health". Peacebuilding by non-state actors is named here "peacebuilding from below" and its characteristics are clarified using socio-cultural anthropological models. An overview of anthropological study on peace is given. In conclusion, reforms in ethnographic methodology are suggested to better promote anthropological research on peacebuilding from below.