Mylifecoursewasshapedby“thehistoricaltime”rightafterJapanadopteddemocracyintheschoolsystem,the“familytime”whenIlostmymotherattheageof10andgrewupundermyfather’sstronginfluence,andmyagewhenIencounteredAmericanculture.WhenIwas17,IwaschosenbytheMinistryofEducationtoattendtheWorldYouthForumhostedbyamajornewspaperinNewYork,andspent3monthsintheNYarea.Theexperienceoflivingwithhighschoolstudentsandtheirfamilies,thediscussionsandpresentationsamongtheyouthdelegatesselectedfrom32countriesandthefinalForumonthethemeof‘TheWorldWeWant’wasnodoubtthebeginningoftransformingmylifecourse.MyvisionkeptbroadeningafterIjoinedcollegeinNY,anditwasexcitingtostudySociologywhichprovidedagreatmethodologyforanalyzinghumanrelations,socialstructureandculture,andfrommicrotomacroperspectives.Formostpeopleacareermeansaworkcareer.Inmycase,itisasynthesisofacademicandpolicy-publicadvocacywork.AftergraduatingfromcollegeintheUnitedStates,IreturnedtoJapantofindthatJapan’ssocialstructureandcultureweredeeplyimbeddedinthepatriarchalsystemoflongstanding,anditspost-WWIIeconomicdevelopmentwasthefruitofthe“housewifenorm,”thatenforcedthenotionthatwomenshouldbethesecond-rateworkers.IraisedthequestiontomyselfastowhetherIshouldreturntotheStatesorremainandchangethenationofJapan.Mystrategywastobecomeaprofessional,inordertostudyandanalyzeJapanesesociety.Ofcourse,thebestknowledgeIhadwassociology,anidealtoolformypurpose.ThusIstudiedforMaster’sDegreemajoringinRuralSociologyunderthementorshipofthemostdistinguishedsociologistinJapan.ItservedmeapreciousbackgroundtowardsunderstandingJapan,aswellasmystatusintheJapaneseacademia.Myresearchoutputsbecametheevidence-basedmessage,whichIcoulddelivertovariedaudiences.AfterIjoinedtheDepartmentofSociologyatSophiaUniversityasafacultymembertoteachruralandfamilysociology,IfeltthatanMAwasnotenoughforachievingmygoal,andhenceItookaleavefor3yearsinordertoobtainaPh.D.intheUnitedStates.Theearly1970’sintheUnitedStateswasaturbulenttimeofhotdiscussionsonthescientificrevolutionandtheemergenceofculturalstudiesincludingWomen’sStudieschallengingthetheoriesbasedontheWestern,WhiteandMaleperspectives.‘Women’sStudies’laterevolvedintoGenderStudies,andIwasaskedtoopenanewcurriculumontheSociologyofWomenassoonasIresumedmyteachinginApril1974.15ProfessorEmeritusofSophiaUniversityandChairofGenderActionPlatform(NPO).ShereceivedB.A.fromWesternCollegeforWomen(US),M.A.inSociologyfromtheUniversityofTokyoGraduateSchoolandPh.D.fromCaseWesternReserveUniversityGraduateSchool(US).MyFirstEncounterwithSociologyTwo CareersFromYorikoMEGUROSynthesizing Two Careers
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