役職/
Position

Former Visiting Professor (Professor at Leiden University)

研究分野/
Field

Sociology

【日本語のページ】

Q1.　Tell me about your research briefly.

A1.　My research examines the life stories of Indisch-Japanese children born of war, who were born to Indisch mothers and Japanese fathers during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. Their experiences pose the question of how you can accommodate yourself with the idea of being the 'child of the enemy' while growing up in a community deeply affected by their experience of war and occupation.

Q2.　In TUFS what are your lecture?

A2.　My course, entitled: "Identity and difference: Japan in global context" explores the question of how identities are formed, and how differences between ourselves and others are generated through different societal mechanisms and processes. We explore these questions, and what it means to be 'Japanese' within a variety of local and global contexts.

Q3.　Japan studies in TUFS have issued a policy to lay emphasis on the reinforcement of the Japan's ability to deliver a message to the world. What do you think is necessary for that?

A3.　Dialogue is a unique tool to exchange and advance ideas; I would expect that bringing scholars and students from a variety of backgrounds together as part of this program will be a fruitful way to develop ideas and think about Japan in a global context.

Q4.　How about TUFS and students?

A4.　Students at TUFS are very international and incredibly diverse; it demonstrates the value of building an international program, where students from a range of backgrounds study together in Japanese and English.

Q5.　Compared with overseas, what is good in Japan and not good in Japan?

A5.　I experience Japan as incredibly dynamic, focused on pursuing solutions for many new and unprecedented societal challenges. It's what makes social research in Japan so inspiring and insightful.