Asia-Pacific Culture Studies

In the twenty-first century nations in the Asia-Pacific region have achieved remarkable economic development and are currently promoting intra-regional partnerships across national boundaries. On the one hand, people living in this region maintain their own cultural and social identities; on the other hand, they interact with other ethnic groups who have different cultures. In the course of their long history of political and economic strife as well as cooperation, people of this region have generated rich varieties of culture, civilization and value; they have also developed complexities of social and political structure. In the Research Group of Asia-Pacific Culture Studies from various disciplines and perspectives students learn and do research on such issues as the culture and history of each individual ethnic group; political, economic, social, and cultural relationships of various nations in the region; and global migration of people and culture. Furthermore, the Group aims at creating experts of a specific part of the region working for international organizations, mediators of cultural friction in business enterprises, policymakers who work in providing financial aid, and cultural planners producing displays of museums and fine art galleries.

 

Messages to prospective students

Messages from each instructor are organized as follows:
1. Expectations of students and guiding principles
2. Research keywords
3. Academic societies, social activities, etc.
4. Contact information (E-mail, URL, office, etc.)

 

IShihara Kyoichi
1.
Based on the disciplines of "international political economics" and the perspectives of "area studies," this course explores ways to promote economic and cultural exchange and build relationships of peaceful coexistence. Our area focus will be on Asia, which is undergoing striking economic development, but we will also cover the other regions of the world as the economy moves globally.
2.
Developing countries and developed countries, international political and economic structures, development and the environment, business communities and corporate culture, international agencies and international cooperation, social common capital and education / social security, stability in Asia and Japan-U.S.-China relationships
3.
Lecturer for the JICA Youth Invitation Program and for Administrative Officer Training by the Pacific Resource Exchange Center (PREX), East Asia Platform Research Society, Kansai Council (KC) (Chairman)
4.
ishihara[at]kobe-u.ac.jp

 

Wang Ke
1.
With relationships in the East Asian region and the international community in mind, this course attempts to elucidate interactions among historical consciousness, cultural traditions, social structures, and political powers in China from modern times through the study of primary sources, and to examine how they should function in postmodern times. Students are expected to actively engage in the study of the "overseas Chinese community in Kobe" and "East Asia's 'common knowledge.'" I look forward to working with deeply inquisitive students who think about China and Japan within the context of the entire Asian region.
2.
Tianxia thought, kanji, modern systems, national structure, ethnic groups, Islam
3.
Kobe Overseas Chinese Research Society, Japan Association for Modern China Studies, Society for the Research of the Modern History of China
4.
wangke[at]kobe-u.ac.jp

 

Hagihara Mamoru
1.
My seminar seeks students of the history of Mongolian, Manchu, and other peoples who spread across the vast area from North Asia to northern China. For our research, we will limit historical materials strictly to those written in local languages, and thus Mongolian exchange students, not to mention Japanese students, will have to take basic lessons in Mongolian (including reading and transcription of the Mongolian script and the Cyrllic alphabet), Manchu, Chinese classics, etc. at the time of their admission.
2.
History of Mongolian people, Dang'an (public records in China), Qing dynasty, Republic of China, Great Empire of Japan
3.
Japanese Association for Mongolian Studies, Japanese Association for Altaistic Studies, International Federation of Mongolian Studies
4.
E-mail: hagihara[at]kobe-u.ac.jp
Office: E206
Key literary work: The Judgment System and Official Documents for Judgments in Mongolia during the Qing Dynasty (Sobunsha Publishing Co., 2006)

 

Ito Tomomi
1.
I have been involved in the study of Theravada Buddhism's social history in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia and issues concerning female adherents. More recently, my research interests have gone beyond geographical borders and religious sects to include East Asian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, driven by my general interest in women and nuns in Buddhism. Through fieldwork and the study of modern and contemporary documents, students are expected to approach the world of Buddhism, both within and outside of temples, from many unique perspectives. Students should preferably have a certain level of English proficiency and be eager to acquire Thai and other local languages for utilization in research work.
2.
Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Theravada Buddhism, Buddhism and women, modern and contemporary social history
3.
Japan Society for Southeast Asian Studies, Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society, Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women
4.
E-mail: itot[at]kobe-u.ac.jp

 

Sadayoshi Yasushi
1.
My main topic of research has been political sociology involving ethnic Chinese residing in Indonesia. For this graduate course, I invite students to join me in the pursuit of harmonious relationships among diverse cultural and social groups throughout the world, without limiting the scope only to Chinese residents in Indonesia. In class, students are expected to "develop the ability to think critically and speak persuasively." They are encouraged to discover "what they think is not right" in authoritative texts or in my lectures and point them out with reasonable grounds - This is a skill that I hope to see develop in them throughout this course, as I believe that it is one of the essential qualities required of professionals, as well as prospective researchers, in this present day and age.
2.
Unity of the people, pluralism, Southeast Asia
3.
Japan Society for Southeast Asian Studies, Pan-Pacific Forum, Japan Muslim Association
4.
ysd[at]kobe-u.ac.jp

 

Kubota Sachiko
1.
My research specialty is the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia, with an extended scope of research including nationality, international discourses, and dynamism among original inhabitants. I look forward to seeing motivated students who have an interest in cultural anthropology, Oceania, and the research of indigenous peoples. I would like to provide my students with guidance so that they can clarify their critical thinking process as soon as possible, and produce an outcome that they can share with the public in general.
2.
Australia, Canada, Japan, indigenous people, national policy, international discourses, gender, social change
3.
Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology (Director), Japanese Society for Oceanic Studies (Councilor), Science Council of Japan (Corresponding Member)
4.
E-mail: kubotas[at]people.kobe-u.ac.jp
Office: E222 (Please contact via e-mail before visiting the office.)