Contemporary Japanese Sociology
- Jun Kobayashi - Department of Sociology, Seikei University, Tokyo, Japan
- Junya Tsutsui - Professor of Sociology, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
- Masayuki Kanai - Professor of Sociology, Senshu University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Naoki Sudo - Gakushuin University, Japan
SAGE Benchmarks in Sociology
Japanese sociology emerged by inculcating concepts from European and American sociology. However, it evolved in its own way and has tried to theorize and empirically understand human experiences. Therefore, its accumulated knowledge and wisdom is expected to provide valuable lessons to the world at large.
Contemporary Japanese Sociology aims at showcasing what Japanese sociology has attained and its expected future course. The editors of this unique collection have brought together the best and most challenging contributions in the field.
The title is organized into two parts. The first part deals with empirical works. It focuses on social inequality in the global society—inequalities in education, occupation, income, family formation—and cultural activities in Japan, Asia, and the world. Japanese sociology has produced significant contributions based on theory-driven, rigorous empirical research.
The second part deals with theoretical developments. It covers mathematical and rational choice sociology, two research streams that have dramatically developed in Japan. This part discusses problems of social dilemmas, social networks, and relative deprivation.
Emphasis has been placed on ensuring the articles are cutting-edge in each field, to advance the understanding of fundamental social processes. The volumes aim to bridge Japanese sociology with sociology in the rest of the world, thereby broadening the sociological horizon.
This will be published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Japanese Association for Mathematical Sociology.
While resources in English for researching and teaching the anthropology of Japan have boomed in recent years, the availability of easily accessible work on the sociology of Japan has lagged far behind. This three volume series on Contemporary Japanese Sociology provides an invaluable service by bringing together in one place the work of the best known sociologists of Japan of the past twenty years. It will be drawn upon by students and scholars of all levels who want to understand the development of - and future outlook for – all the key structural components of Japanese society such as education, work, cultural activities and the family.
This important collection opens up a treasure trove of Japanese sociology to an English-reading audience. With contributions from the leading figures of the discipline, it provides an indispensible guide to the latest arguments and findings. Encyclopedic in breadth, it is a key resource for anyone interested in not only the sociology of Japan, but also sociology in Japan.