This project focuses on the research on the activities of various INGOs (International Non-Governmental Organizations) in the Asia-Pacific Region. It gives primary emphasis on an analysis of their historical as well as and contemporary meanings.
The main organization studied is the pioneer INGO in the region, the Institute of Pacific Relations (IPR), which was especially active during the pre-World War II years, the Pacific War, and the postwar years. The research activities of the international secretariat (located in Hawaii and later in New York), as well as each of the national branches (Japan, China, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Korea, the Philippines, the Netherlands, France, USSR) are examined in relation to the international situation--political, economic, diplomatic and inter-cultural--at that time.
We will also examine the thoughts of key individuals who were involved in the IPR movement from an intellectual history standpoint: In the Japan IPR, Eiichi Shibusawa, Inazo Nitobe, Shigeharu Matsumoto, Yasaka Takagi were key figures; the American IPR had men such as Edward C. Carter, Stanley K. Hornbeck, Ray Lyman Wilbur, Owen Lattimore, John K. Fairbank, Edwin O. Reischauer; the UK's IPR was represented by Lionel Curtis, Arnold J. Toynbee, George Sansom, Hugh Borton, among others; the Canadian IPR had distinguished figures such as E. H. Norman, John Nelson, Norman A. M. MacKenzie; the Australian IPR had F. G. Eggleston, H. Duncan Hall, Ernest Scott, Ian Clunies Ross; the New Zealand IPR included men such as John B. Condliffe, William L. Holland, Horace Belshaw; the China IPR, likewise, were represented by men such as Hu Shih, Shuhsi Hsu, H. D. Hong, Franklin L. Ho, Chang Poling, David Z. T. Yui; the Korean IPR had members such as Uck Kyum Song, Helen K. Kim, and Chin Woo Song; and lastly, the Philippines IPR were represented by people such as Francisco Benitez and Manuel Camus.
Secondly, after World War II, we will turn our focus to research towards three distinctive INGOs: namely, the PBEC (Pacific Basin Economic Council), PAFTAD (Pacific Trade and Development Conference), and PECC (Pacific Economic Cooperation Council). A detailed examination was conducted for their activities before establishment of APEC (Asia Pacific Cooperation Conference), which was founded as the first inter-governmental organization in the Asia-Pacific region. After its formation in 1989, APEC carried out annual meetings; moreover, ASEM (Asia - Europe Meeting) also is taken up as a research target.
Students in this project conduct extensive survey of relevant research, document the research findings, and carry on fieldwork according to their Master Degree thesis. After collecting and reading the basic literature in his/her own field, each candidate then begins a survey on the antecedent papers on the topic. At this time, students will go to the Central Library at Waseda University to do searches of the literature; they can also obtain resources through inter-library loan for materials not available locally; these include overseas materials. Search for relevant documents are conducted not only in Japan--such as in the National Diet Library, the National Archives, and the Diplomatic Record Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs--but also through internet website searches worldwide. After confirming the existence of relevant documentary records, students visit, if necessary, the places they are located on internship study, or perhaps on study tours of various lengths. Thus, primary resources located in various parts of the Asia-Pacific region--China, Taiwan, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, Korea, the Philippines, the Netherlands, France, Indonesia, Singapore-are fully covered.
As stated above, students will conduct research to complete their Master Thesis; and while carrying out this research, they are required to take courses on related subjects pertaining to the historical, cultural, political, economic and diplomatic issues of their region. This is deemed necessary so that each student can gain a deeper and comprehensive understanding of the issues and problems involved. Depending on the topics chosen, students may be required to gain reading fluency in a foreign language so as to be able to read the primary sources in relevant languages. At Waseda University, there are over three hundred exchange programs with overseas universities, thus students can study abroad to conduct their field research while gaining experience living in the country that they are studying.
In their first year of study (totaling 4 quarters), students are required to take a minimum of 11 subjects (22 credits). In addition to this, project which entails 8 credits (including Master Thesis) must be completed. Each student must collect materials for their topics, after consultation with an advisor. In order to clarify their themes, as well as to have formal approval to carry out the project, students will have regular meetings with their supervisor. At the end of their first year, students make their midterm presentations. Some students also give presentations at seminars and also at academic meetings, held in Japan or overseas, and will use these occasions to present their views on their topics, and receive feedback in the form of criticism as well as advice for further study. My project group makes an overseas study tour every year (Korea, China, Hawaii etc.) and in this way the students become acquainted with their counterparts from these countries.
At the beginning of the second year, students submit detailed research plans on their themes which they submit to the graduate school office. After making their final plans for their theses, the student then begins to write the thesis, using the primary sources and other materials that he/she had collected during the first year. If need be, students can write their thesis while overseas, concurrently with the collecting of relevant documents.
