Though rich, diverse, unique and engaging, Japan's sociological outputs have been internationally underrepresented. In its thoughtful translation and curation of key Japanese sociological texts, this book redresses this imbalance and treads exciting new ground. Comprising 17 chapters spanning 7 decades, this text introduces you to fundamental themes, from classical studies in post-war Japan to contemporary sociological issues like migration politics, social mobility and gender-based violence. Key Texts for Japanese Sociology is an original, much-needed resource, empowering a foundational, confident understanding of the national, regional and local traditions of Japanese sociology from the latter half of the last century to today.
Hideo Nakazawa holds a Doctoral degree in Sociology from University of Tokyo. He is a professor of Regional and Environmental Sociology at Sophia University (Tokyo) and was a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR), University of Kent (2006-07). Since 2021, he is the Editor-in-Chief of Japanese Journal of Sociology, published by Wiley on behalf of JSS. He is the principal investigator of an international research team called as JAFCOF (Japan Association for study of Former COalFields). Recent publications include: Sengo Nihon no Shupattsu to Tanko Rodo Kumiai [Coalmine Union in the Departure of Post-war Japan] in collaboration with other JAFCOF scholars (Tokyo: Ochanomizu Shobo, 2022); 'Suburban/Hinterland Aging in Japan and Types of Policy/Civic Reactions: Contraction, Relocation, or Machizukuri?' (2017, Korean Regional Sociology 18(2): 293-317).
Part I: Sociological Explorations in Contemporary Japan at Crossroads Chapter 1. Reexamining "Made in Japan" from the Factory Floor: Working Conditions and Workers' Objections in the Automobile Industry, by Ryoji Ihara Chapter 2. Rationalizing Foodwork at Home: A Qualitative Study of Coping Strategies and Social Stratification among Working Women with Children, by Yuiko Fujita and Misako Nukaga Chapter 3. Running Away Barefoot: Girls in Nightlife Okinawa, by Yoko Uema, Translated by Alexander Brown Chapter 4. Why Hasn't Established the Official Migration Policy? Migration Politics and Liberal Trilemma in Japan, by Sachi Takaya Part II: How Have Unique Concepts been Created on Emerging Realities Chapter 5. Study of Social Mobility (1971), by Saburo Yasuda, Commented and translated by Satoshi Miwa Chapter 6. The concept of "Beneficiary and Victimized Spheres": Excerpts from Shinkansen Pollution (1985), by Harutoshi Funabashi, Commented and translated by Tsunehide Chino Chapter 7. Explanation of Class Identification by the Fararo-Kosaka Model: Revised text from Formal Theory of Sociology (2006), by Kenji Kosaka, Commented and translated by Hiroshi Hamada Chapter 8. Life cycle of Wage Worker Family: Excerpts from A Sociology of Poverty (1964/2011), by Toshiko Kamada, Commented and translated by Hideo Nakazawa Chapter 9. Paradigm Shift of Analysis of Contemporary Rural Communities: The T-type Participatory Rural Appraisal (2014), by Sadao Tokuno, Commented and translated by Taro Hirai Part III: Networks and Institutions on which Japanese Sociologists Work Chapter 10. Japanese General Social Survey and International Research Collaboration: East Asian Social Survey, by Satomi Yoshino, Tetsuo Mo, Kuniaki Shishido and Noriko Iwai Chapter 11. Open Data of Social Surveys by Hiroki Sato, Hiroshi Matsui, Hiroshi Ishida and Ken'ichi Ikeda Chapter 12. Educational Policy, Educational Practice and Evidence Based Policy, by Wataru Nakazawa and Ichiro Kuraishi Chapter 13. The Formulation Process of the "Reference Standard for the Field of Sociology" and Its Outline, by Harumi Sasatani Part IV: Postwar Japan in the Making: Classical Studies in 1950-70s Chapter 14. Workers' Political Attitudes (1955), by Rokuro Hidaka, Akira Takahashi, Kotaro Kido and Joji Watanuki Commented by Toru Kikkawa Chapter 15. Thinking Styles and Organizational Principles in Religious Movements during the Expansion Period (1976), by Tsutomu Shiobara Commented and translated by Yoshihide Sakurai Chapter 16. Research on the Tokara Islands Society (1982), by Hiroyuki Torigoe Commented and translated by Atsushi Makino Chapter 17. The Hell of the Gaze (1973), by Munesuke Mita Commented and translated by Kenji Sato
