We will cover a variety of themes that correspond to the global and complex modern economic conditions.
Specialized field
Research on local society, economy, and vibrant SMEs
Main research contents
Research on Socio-economic geography and regions or cities in Japan and Europe
Laboratory introduction
In this seminar, while we will discuss based on books and dissertations related to various regions in Japan, the seminer studenys determine appropriate survey target areas in consultation with the faculty stuff, and summarize them as student dissertations based on field surveys and desk work.
The instructor
Professor Kenji Yamamoto
Specialized field
Regional survey / analysis, regional promotion
Main research contents
While the seminer students will cquire techniques for regional surveys and analysis, they tackle various specific issues in the region.
Laboratory introduction
We will support you to acquire the skills to discover, understand and discuss the unknown events to you through research and analysis work to know and understand the area. You will collect and analyze materials or data (maps or statistics) for collecting and investigating information about the target area. (Including the hands-on content such as literature surveys, field surveys, map reading and creation, and regional data collection and analysis.) As a part of the class, we will carry out fieldwork to actually go to the local field. In the latter half of the class, we will apply the methods of regional survey and analysis learned in the practical training to tackle the tasks selected by each student, and make a final report after presentations and discussions at this seminar.
Local Autonomy Law, Administrative Law, Public Policy Theory, Local Administration Theory, Regional Planning Theory, Risk Management
Main research contents
Research on practical issues surrounding the central government and local governments (as a doctor of law), and research on political and local autonomy in the United Kingdom (as an Emeritus Fellow of Birmingham)
Seminar introduction
First, We will learn about the politics in the UK, especially the authority, governance structure, resident autonomy, and finance of local governments that develop a wide range of policies, such as education, welfare, the environment, and industry and exceed the scale of national expenditure while hearing from the profeccer who had worked as a government administrator. Then, under the theme of "challenging civil servants who live for the people," we will visit Utsunomiya City Fire Department, Tochigi Prefectural Office, Jichi Medical University, Utsunomiya City Council, Motegi Town, Ashikaga Bank, etc. The seminer students will contact with people working on the front lines of their hometown and exchange opinions with one's dreams and hope. We also have debate exercises and speech contests to train our students to express their opinions accurately.
A city is a place where many diverse people gather. However, the neighbors or the people who pass each other in the city are all strangers, and the relationships are usually weak. It is, in a sense, very mysterious and unnatural that many people who have no relationship gather together. We will study the social mechanism of the city that makes such a situation possible. The key is a public space where an unspecified number of people gather. What makes a public space possible? By elucidating the various mechanisms that exist there, we will try to gain a deeper understanding of the urban society in which we live. Through such learning, we aim to acquire the wisdom to create an attractive and lively public space.
Law, introduction to law, political science, civil servant education, local autonomy system theory
Main research contents
A study of the transition of Japan's local autonomy system and the relationship between the national and local governments today
Seminar introduction
Local autonomy can be seen as a matter of distribution of office work, authority, and financial resources between the national government (central government) and local organizations (local government). The relationship between such a country (central government) and local organizations (local government) has undergone many changes since the establishment of the local autonomy system in the early Meiji era. It is said that the foundation of Japan's local autonomy system was laid by Aritomo Yamagata and Mosse, a German legal adviser. The local autonomy system they aimed for had actually rich in finances and strong authority. However, such a concept will retreat to centralization amid under the tension of the international situation that followed. In this process, we can see the origin of the problem of the relationship between the country and the region today. From this point of view, in this seminer, we will deepen our understanding of the issue of the relationship between the national and local governments today by tracing the transition of Japan's local autonomy system from the first year of the Meiji era to the early Showa era.
The instructor
Professor Hitoshi Yaku
Specialized field
Environmental economics, economics of energy
Main research contents
Research on environmental issues and economy, energy issues and economy, renewable energy, etc.
Laboratory introduction
At Ohira Seminar, seminar students play a central role in researching environmental and energy issues. They will decide research themes based on the interests of seminar students, compile papers, and make a presentaion. When proceeding with research, we focus on local initiatives. For example, we are conscious of what we can do in the region and what kind of efforts can contribute to the region for global problems such as global warming. In addition, we plan to proceed with research on renewable energy in Fukushima Prefecture, which is making various efforts as a "pioneer of renewable energy", and study local efforts through fieldwork.
Sustainable town development utilizing tourism in depopulating areas
Laboratory introduction
At this seminar, we will research to energize the area through tourism. At the beginning of the semester, the seminer students select the target area and conduct fieldwork multiple times to extract problems and issues that the area has. Based on the results, we will implement measures that the seminer students can take the initiative in. In this seminar, the seminer students are divided into teams to clarify the division of roles, and the project is systematically proceeded under each leader. In fact, while changing the direction according to the issues in the region or suffering from the project not progressing well, we always stop and discuss. From these experiences, we aim not only to acquire knowledge of tourism or town development, but also to acquire the skills that is required from society, such as team building or project management.
Financial situation, financial system, and issues of local public bodies under national finance
Laboratory introduction
In this seminar, while confirming Japan's national financial system and issues, we will learn about the relationship with local public finance and the financial situation of the local government in which we live, and voluntarily discover problems that the region has and seek solutions. In order to achieve such goals, we basically read texts and make presentations, conduct group surveys, and search materials in libraries and computer classrooms. By proceeding with joint activities and individual work at the same time, we will solidify and deepen individual ideas while enjoying teamwork. If necessary, check how to make a resume, how to make a presentation, and how to write a report / impression. Overall, we will consider the issues of interest of the seminar participants and proceed with the exercises in a way that can draw interest.
History of Economic and Social Thought / Western Economic History
Main research contents
Pursuing the diversity of companies and social organizations based on the case study of France during the interwar period
Laboratory introduction
The specialty of the professer is the history of Western economic and economic and social thought centered on interwar France. The seminer students will experience the field of community activities (volunteer or social business), and learn about various problems in the community (declining birthrate and aging population or depopulation). In addition, the seminer students will understand how to interact with society in a different way from office workers and civil servants, that is, "diversity of social participation." Specifically, with the cooperation of several NPOs in Tochigi Prefecture, the seminer students will perticipate in the events and consider the method that young people, including university students, are more active in community activities through group-style presentations. They also share the findings gained from them and propose and disseminate it both inside and outside the university.
Seminar Goal: Learn the community and learn from the community.
Seminar motto: Learn together, think together, and enjoy together.
Seminar Overview: At this seminar, learning outside the university is of the utmost importance. We will go to the area, think about what kind of problems there are in the area, how the citizen in the area are trying to overcome them, think with the citizen in the area, and connect them to your learning. Basically, we will explore, investigate, and analyze regional issues in Nasukarasuyama City, Tochigi Prefecture. If you go to Nasukarasuyama City as a fieldwork, you may participate in the "Mountain Festival" in July. In this seminar, we will make presentations through discussions and group work for each subgroup. At the end of the fiscal year, we will make an external presentation at debriefing sessions inside and outside the university and report on the results of our seminar activities. In addition to discussions between seminar students, we expect active communication with local people.
Agricultural, mountain and fishing villages, social research
Main research contents
Research on the actual situation of farming, mountain and fishing village society
Laboratory introduction
I think that there are many people who are reluctant or anxious about the field survey. However, I think that by actually visiting the site and considering what we have seen and heard, we can learn many important things in living in modern society. I myself have learned a lot about how to think about things and how to communicate while visiting the site and conducting interviews. The Department of Regional Economics is in a very favorable environment in terms of both theory and practice when conducting field surveys. In this seminar, we aim to deepen our understanding of the actual situation of farming, mountain and fishing village society by conducting surveys in Nakagawa Town, Tochigi Prefecture. Through the experiences in this seminar, I expect to develop human resources who voluntarily tackle regional issues.
