| Position | Professor |
|---|---|
| Faculty | Sociology |
| Graduate School | Sociology |
| Department | Sociology |
Career
| February 1999: | Department of Social and Cultural Studies, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo |
| April 2006: | Appointed to the Faculty of Letters, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo |
Research Areas
Sexuality Studies, Sociology of Social Problems, Cat Sociology
1) Historical Sociology of Sexuality
I have researched how modern Japanese sexuality was formed and transformed from the Meiji period onward, examining vast resources such as Zōkakiron (Reproductive Mechanics), popular sexology, and postwar sex science. Through this process, I analyze the process by which these discourses were shaped. My key works include Historical Sociology of Sexuality (Chikuma Shobo, 1999; revised edition 2024) and The Man Who Created Meiji’s ‘Sex Manual’: The Mysterious Doctor Shigeru Chiba (Chikuma Shobo, 2014).
2) Sociology of Social Problems
I have researched discourses, figures, and statistics surrounding the issues of declining birthrates and population decrease, which are considered Japan’s major social challenges, examining what is incorrect and how we should approach these problems. My key works include What’s Wrong with Having Fewer Children! (Chikuma Shinsho, 2004) and This is the Answer! The Declining Birthrate Problem (Chikuma Shinsho, 2017).
3) Cat Sociology
In recent years, the relationship between cats and humans has deepened more than that with other animals or pets. Assuming that this deepening is a result of macro-level changes in the social structure of modern society, I conduct empirical research on the micro-level processes shaping this relationship. Publications include Cat Sociology: The Beginning (Editor, Chikuma Shobo, 2024).
