■ Our Project Plan ■
■Aim: To build the network of anthropologists and sociologists
studying the art of living (ars viviendi) of disabilities, sickness, aging, and various
differences; and to develop the research methods most suitable on
these issues.
■Project Member *as of Academic Year 2009
◆Project Leader: YOSHIDA Sachie
(Graduate Student, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier
Sciences, Ritsumeikan University)
・Project Members:
◆TOMITA Takahiro (Graduate Student,
Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan
University / Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)
◆NIIYAMA Tomoki (Graduate Student,
Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan
University / Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)
◆ARIZONO Masayo (Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (PD), Japan Society for
the Promotion of Science)
◆ABE Akira (PD, Kinugasa Research
Organization, Ritsumeikan University)
・Advisor
◆NAGATA Atsumasa (PD, Kinugasa Research
Organization, Ritsumeikan University)
・Cooperating Researchers:
◆SATO Ryo Research Fellow, Global COE
Program Osaka City University Urban Research Plaza
◆MATSUDA Yukiko (Graduate Student,
Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan
University)
◆Advisory Professor: AMADA Josuke
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier
Sciences, Ritsumeikan University)
1. Topics and Contribution to the Global COE Program Ars Vivendi
（1）Topics, Objectives and Impacts
In recent years, many young scholars in anthropology and sociology
have been accumulating research which focuses on day-to-day survival
practice of people with such problems as disabilities, sickness,
aging, and various differences, to secure "ars vivendi". Based on
this trend, this project aims to develop the research methodology to
establish a study field of "anthropology and sociology of 'ars
vivendi'" with anthropologists and sociologists who have been developing
new prospects mainly based on field studies.
（2）Contribution to the Global COE Program Ars Vivendi
Until now, the Global COE Program has mainly worked on the issues of
disabilities, sickness, aging, and various differences in Japan.
Especially, the program has provided research arena both for people
working in the filed of medical treatment, welfare and care and for
people who have disabilities themselves. Under the unstable social and
economic situation, especially in developing countries, we believe it is
necessary to strengthen studies focusing on the process of many
people falling into the difficult situations related to disabilities,
sickness, aging, and various differences, and studies on how they
actually avoid such difficult situations.
This study group plans to integrate the issues by collecting case
studies related to these problems and compare research methods both
inside and outside of Japan, and to make the information available through
our database. As a result, we plan to accumulate the research on practical "ars vivendi" of people with various difficulties, and to establish the "anthropology and sociology of 'ars vivendi'" both as the information exchange and as output base.
2. Research Plan, Method and Publication of Research Products
The study group holds monthly seminar mainly with graduate students
in the GCOE who are studying social issues such as institutions of medical treatment,
welfare, intractable diseases (nanbyo) and ones who are investigating research overseas. We
will publish our achievements on our website, together with
related references, in order to accumulate and share the
information.
In addition, we plan to invite young scholars from outside
for the workshop to learn other case studies which focus on how
people survive when their "ars vivendi" is threatened because of
disabilities, sickness, aging, and various differences, or poverty
and change in institutions and social systems. In this workshop, we
also aim to share the research methods and exchange opinions.
We plan to invite scholars: one who studies demodern medical treatment anthropologically
which combines community medical care, modern one and witch doctors; one who has been working both as a NGO
worker and a researcher cocerning how people whose subsistent means are
damaged by economic modernization participate in NGO's livelihood
projects or educational projects in search for new "ars vivendi"
strategies; the one who studies accessibility to medical treatment by utilizing local medicine and modern medicine and
insurance systems. In addition, we plan to invite a couple of
young scholars in Kansai area in related fields as commentators. Our project
members also participate in these workshops and present their studies: a
study on transition of works by international NGOs on neglected
tropical diseases which have been killing people in developing countries; a
study on survival of pastoralism in Mongolia after the change of the
economic system; a study which positively recognizes relationships and
autonomous activities in Hansen's disease facilities as "ars vivendi"
strategies and others.
We will post the achievements of the above workshops on our website,
together with the presented reports and related references, in order
to disclose and share information.
■Activities and Achievements■
◆Seminars◆
Topic:
Report on Buruli ulcer Survey: Situation in Togo
and Benin:
Condition of Hospitals, Support on In-hospital Education and the
Work of NGOs
Presented by NIIYAMA Tomoki (Graduate
Student, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences,
Ritsumeikan University / Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)
Date: March 29, 2010 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Venue: Kinugasa Campus, Ritsumeikan University
Kyoto-shi, KYOTO
URL: http://www.ritsumei.jp/campusmap/pdf/kinugasa_map.pdf
◆Organizers:
Global COE Program Ars Vivendi,
Research Center for Ars Vivendi, Ritsumeikan University
Study Group on Anthropology and Sociology of "Ars Vivendi" (Projects
Led by Graduate Students at Ars Vivendi in Academic Year 2009)
◆Participation: Free of Charge
◆Contact: Mr. NAGATA (E-mail：ant05003 (at) fc.ritsumei.ac.jp）
*Please change (at) to@.
◆Workshop◆
Topic: "Ars Vivendi" in Fieldworks
Date: February 27, 2010 13:00 - 18:00
Venue: Kinugasa Campus, Ritsumeikan University
Kyoto-shi, KYOTO
URL: http://www.ritsumei.jp/campusmap/pdf/kinugasa_map.pdf
□Chairperson□
NAGATA Atsumasa (PD, Kinugasa
Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University)
○Schedule○
13:00 - 13:10 Explanation of Workshop by NAGATA Atsumasa
13:10 - 14:00 Presentation 1 by TAMAKI, Makiko (Part-time
Lecturer, Edogawa University)
Drawing a Regular Triangle: Filipino NGOs and Japanese NGOs
Working with Residents Associations of Indigenous People
TAMAKI reports works of a Filipino NGO supporting
indigenous people and its partner, Japanese NGO, in the village B,
which consists of T'boli and Manobo, the indigenous people in
mountain area of Mindanao Island. She clarifies differences in perception
toward projects by introducing projects recognized as successful at this point,
and ones influenced by chance as a result of her long-term involvement in the development assistance.
Then, we discuss how the village B will turn to be in five or ten years, with the start of the project in November 2009.
14:10 - 15:00 Presentation 2 by HAMADA Akinori (Part-time
Lecturer, The Sanno Institute of Management)
Going between the Two Mutuality: Over Acceptance of Health
Insurance in Southern Ghana
In 2004, the Republic of Ghana introduced the National Health
Insurance Scheme as large scale medical system reform for the first time after
its structural adjustment. As a result, the health insurance has been
spreading in rural area of Southern Ghana, with 60% of population
having the insurance in only four years. HAMADA reports
what kind of health insurance local people have, and how it has been
influencing the savings and social relationship in the community,
based on the actual cases.
⇒Handout Documents
(PDF) (Japanese)
15:10 - 16:00 Presentation 3 by AZUMA Kentaro (Lecturer, Miyazaki
Municipal University)
Insect Excrement Works Well for Magic: From Magical Reality to
Actuality
In research of magic, the intellectualism approach has been
dominant, and it has established a certain level of knowledge on
magic. However, I was wondering if such studies might have overlooked the simple but
serious actions when magical practices were performed.
AZUMA reports the continuation of magical activities,
which looks like irrational at a glance, through the treatment
activities of a woman witch doctor in local city of the Philippines.
Then, using the narrative theory and pragmatism, AZUMA analyzes
the dynamism of birth and continuance of magical activities, and
finally he tries to develop magical activities into ideological
potential as actuality.
16:10 - 17:00 Comments
AMADA Josuke (Associate
Professor, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences,
Ritsumeikan University)
※Comment on TAMAKI's Presentation
YAMAZAKI Goro (Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (PD), Japan Society for
the Promotion of Science/
Osaka University)
※Comment on HAMADA's Presentation
WATANABE Kozo (Professor, Graduate
School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan
University)
※Comment on AZUMA's Presentation
17:00 - 17:30 Questions and Answers
18:00 - Reception
◆Organizers:
Global COE Program Ars Vivendi,
Research Center for Ars Vivendi, Ritsumeikan University
Study Group on Anthropology and Sociology of "Ars Vivendi" (Projects
Led by Graduate Students at Ars Vivendi in Academic Year 2009)
◆Participation: Free of Charge
◆Contact: Mr. NAGATA (E-mail：ant05003 (at) fc.ritsumei.ac.jp）
＊The Japanese page is prepared by NAGATA Atsumasa.
Translated by HIRAGA Midori
Proofread by KATAOKA Minoru