Country
United Kingdom
Position
Professor
Research Keywords
Japanese youth employment, gender, health and wellbeing, food and social life
Qualifications
BSc: Archaeology, University of Liverpool
MSc: Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh
PhD: Social Anthropology, School of Oriental and African Studies: University of London
Message
As a social anthropologist I am interested in how people live, how they adapt to and change their social worlds. My interest in the culture and society of Japan began through an interest in the lives of indigenous peoples. During my Masters degree this led me to look at the relationship between Ainu and Japanese and the various ways in which their ethnic identities were constructed. After moving to Japan to teach as an Assistant Language Teacher on the JET program I became more interested in the issues that youth were experiencing. Consequently, my PhD and postdoctoral research focused on youth employment, specifically exploring the lives of male freeters (part-time workers). Topics I have covered include masculinities, gender, family and workplace relations, and the impact of work on health. My new project looks at experiences of food allergies in Japan and their social and institutional implications. My teaching philosophy focuses on facilitating active learning and critical thinking. My classes therefore include both lectures and lots of discussion. I look forward to meeting you all in the coming years.
Classes Taught on MJSP
Introduction to Japanese Studies III (Society), Japanese Society I & II, Multiculturality and Japan. You can watch a video of me giving a lecture during the Global Issues Forum for Tomorrow (GIFT) event as part of Sustainability Weeks 2013.
Selected Publications and Further Information
Other websites
