Academics
Graduate School of Policy Studies
Aiming for "the fusion of policy and culture, and the fusion of the humanities and sciences," we are nurturing individuals who can understand and solve social problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. In our "cross-border society," where people come and go across the boundaries of academia, nations, culture, religion, industry-academia-government, etc., the Graduate School of Policy Studies cultivates individuals eager to achieve expertise in "policy research," such as legal policy, public policy, and management policy, based on cultural perspectives. The scope of these individuals’ activities is not limited to traditional educational and research institutions, but also extends to the fields of corporate planning and strategy formulation in companies and to policy development in government agencies, reflecting the needs of domestic and international society. In response to such societal demands, the Graduate School of Policy Studies offers an interdisciplinary seminar (Seminar for Policy Studies II) that provides students with opportunities to conduct interdisciplinary research that incorporates not only the theories of existing specialized fields, but also incorporation of a wide range of related fields. This is a team-taught seminar in which faculty members with different areas of expertise come together to facilitate work on specific themes. The aim is to encourage students to conduct research from multiple perspectives, and at the same time, to cultivate a wide range of critical thinking skills by bringing together students from different research fields to focus on a single theme, allowing students to stimulate each other's work.
Today’s society faces a wide range of pressing challenges, including declining birthrates and an aging population, social inequality and poverty, environmental issues, natural disasters, and gender disparities. On a global scale, rising tensions between nations have heightened political uncertainty. Values once taken for granted are no longer considered the norm. In such a world, it is vital that we cultivate a sense of wonder—the ability to perceive marvels in nature and everyday life, and to recognize the issues that demand our attention. We need to continually reexamine our own values and confront these challenges with determination.
However, none of these issues can be resolved by applying insights from a single academic discipline. The Graduate School of Policy Studies is committed to cultivating individuals who can contribute to society by tackling the complex and interrelated issues we face by integrating knowledge from various fields. These include the social sciences, such as law, economics, management, political science, and sociology, as well as the humanities, encompassing cultural anthropology, philosophy, religious studies, and history. Through the continuous interplay between theory and practice, our students are expected to generate innovative solutions to the imminent matters.
The Graduate School of Policy Studies focuses on developing abilities that enable students to identify issues independently, formulate hypotheses, verify them through research and analysis, and ultimately return their findings to society through policy proposals and other practical contributions. This is the core goal of our education and research. To achieve this goal, we have established an interdisciplinary and practical learning environment where students can benefit from high-quality education, such as the research supervision system allowing access to multiple faculty members with diverse expertise, and opportunities for on-site study and fieldwork. Moreover, the School places great emphasis on interactions among graduate students from various backgrounds. Engaging in dialogue with others who hold different values and cultivating a flexible mindset that enables the examination of issues from diverse perspectives are key to formulating innovative policies and social structures. Deeper understanding of research is fostered through processes of trial and error, discussion with others, and collaborative analysis—endeavors that cannot be accomplished in isolation.
The Graduate School of Policy Studies sincerely hopes that all students who study with us will ignite their passion for research and help shape the society of the future. We look forward to creating new knowledge together with intellectual inquisitiveness who aspire to contribute to the realization of an ideal society.
Mikiko SHINOKI
Dean, Graduate School of Policy Studies
