In1995,IstudiedabroadintheUSAtoobtainmyMaster’sdegreeinpsychology,andeventuallymydoctorate.InJapan,Iwashighlyawareofmyminoritystatusasawoman,andIwasactivelyinvolvedinstudygroupstodiscusswomen’sstudiesandfeminism.HoweverafterlivingintheU.S.,myminoritystatusasanAsian,thatis,aracialminority,becamemuchmoresalientthanmygender,andmyfocusshiftedtowardsissuesofrace.Ihappenedtotakeacourseentitled,“PsychologyofSocialOppression,”whereIlearnedabouttheconceptofprivilegesuchaswhiteprivilege,whicheventuallyledtomycurrentresearch.EventhoughIwasinterestedinunderstandingissuesconcerningdiscriminationpriortothis,consideringdiscriminationfromthestandpointofprivilegemademerealizetheimportanceoffocusingonhowmembersofdominantgroupsareaffordedunearnedbenefits,underthesamesocialstructuresthatoppressminoritygroups.AfterreturningtoJapan,Iwasmorethanawareoftheenormousprivileges(unearnedadvantages)grantedtomeasaJapanesepersonlivinginJapanesesociety.IntheU.S.,Istudiedtheoriesonwhiteracialidentitydevelopment,whichdescribethedifferentstagesthatwhitepeopleundergobasedonhowmuchinnerworktheydotowardsunderstandingtheirracialprivilegeandidentity.AnAmericanpsychologistforexample,uncoveredtheprocessofpsychologicalchangeamongwhiteanti-racistalliesintheU.S.byanalyzingtheirautobiographies.IwantedtounderstandwhethersuchracialidentitytheoriescanbeappliedtoJapaneseanti-racistactivistswhobecamealliestoethnicminoritiesinJapan,andthatisthetypeofresearchIamengagedin.IlivedintheU.S.duringmostofmychildhooduntilIgraduatedfromcollege,andthenlateragaininadulthood.Ialwaysthoughtofmyselfassomeonewhopossessedneithertheskillsnorthecompetencytobecomealeader.InNorthAmericansocietytherearemanystereotypesaboutAsianpeople:they’requiet,obedient,anddon’tmakewaves.Idefinitelyinternalizedthesemessages,andhavealwayskeptalowprofile.IneithervolunteeredforanyleadershippositionsandnorwasIevernominatedtoone,butmyexperiencetotallychangedwhenIreturnedtoJapanin2009.IfeltthecomfortofbeingpartofthemajorityasaJapaneseperson,andofhavingnostereotypesattachedtome.Suddenly,Iwasgettingrecommendedforleadershippositionsleftandright,sometimestopositionsIdidn’tfeelIearnedordeserved.9DirectoroftheCenterforGlobalEducationandDiscovery,andaProfessorintheDepartmentofEnglishStudies,oftheFacultyofForeignStudiesofSophiaUniversity.SheearnedherPh.D.inPsychologyfromtheGraduateSchoolofArtsandSciencesofBostonCollege,USA.SpecializinginCulturalPsychology,herresearchfocusesontheprocessofacculturation,andthepsychologyofdiscriminationandidentityprocessesofthosewithmajorityandminorityidentities.HerCoursesare,“PsychologyofDiscrimination,”and“PsychologyofPositionality:UnderstandingMajorityPrivilege.”MyPathtoMyResearchonPrivilegeMy Path to LeadershipFromMakiko DEGUCHITheCouragetoTranscendYour Inner Fears
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