Institute of Peace Studies –

Institute of Peace Studies

Research Theme

Eighty-one years after the war, the “threats to peace” have never pressed so closely upon our everyday lives, nor have we ever yearned for “peace” with such intensity. The international community has witnessed an increasing number of situations in which major powers have undertaken actions that contravene international law, as evidenced by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, military operations in Gaza, and various external military engagements by the United States. Such actions have undermined the sovereignty of states and inflicted severe harm on civilian populations. At the same time, exploitation and violence affecting workers in global supply chains, including migrant workers, have intensified. The widespread dissemination of disinformation and hate speech through social media has further contributed to rising xenophobia and has exerted a significant impact on electoral processes and other democratic institutions. The extractive and exploitative dynamics generated by the global economy continue to disproportionately affect those in vulnerable situations, including women, children, and migrant workers. Taken together, these developments constitute a serious threat to peace and human security.
Against these backrushes, the Institute seeks to identify and analyze the root causes and structural drivers of factors that undermine peace. Drawing upon the knowledge of peace studies—particularly the concepts of structural violence and cultural violence—the Institute will undertake interdisciplinary research and engage in the dissemination of evidence-based information aimed at advancing the realization of positive peace. Through these efforts, the Institute endeavors to contribute to the development of peace research and to serve as an institution that remains accessible and responsive to the wider public.

Research Director

HORI, Yoshie

Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences

Project Members

Researchers

HORI, Yoshie　Professor, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences
KOMATSU, Hiroshi　Associate Professor, School of Culture, Media and Society, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences
OKUSAKO, Hajime　Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences
TONEGAWA, Yoshiko　Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences

Guest Researcher / Adjunct Researcher

IWAI, Yukino
KAWAGUCHI, Toru
KAWASAKI, Akira
LEE, Young Chae
SAITO, Sayuri
SATO, Yukio
TAKAHASHI, Tetsuya
TOKUMORI, Rima
UEMURA, Hideaki
UTSUMI, Aiko
YAMAMOTO, Tsuyoshi
YANG, Zhihui

 Research Keywords
 Research Summary
 Contact

Research Keywords

Peace Studies, War and Peace, Structural Violence

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Research Summary

The Institute was established in response to two significant developments at Waseda University: the appointment of the late Professor Jun Nishikawa as President of the Peace Studies Association of Japan (PSAJ), founded in 1973, and the introduction of peace studies courses within the School of Social Sciences. Building on these foundations, the University sought to further advance scholarly contributions to the field of peace studies. In light of the increasingly complex and volatile global environment, the Institute’s mission—to elucidate the origins and structural dynamics of factors that threaten peace, to apply the theoretical insights accumulated within peace studies, and to promote interdisciplinary research aimed at achieving positive peace—has become more vital than ever. Equally important is the Institute’s role in fostering academic exchange with peace researchers both within and beyond the University, as well as with NGOs and other civil society actors.

The Institute organizes an annual public symposium as a core component of its outreach activities. In addition, it hosts a series of research seminars and lectures, inviting distinguished speakers from inside and outside the University to address a wide range of global issues, including nuclear disarmament, peace in East Asia, and other region-specific challenges.

Each faculty member pursues research grounded in their respective areas of expertise while actively engaging in scholarly exchange through these research meetings. Ongoing research projects undertaken by Institute members span a broad spectrum of themes, such as peace and security, Okinawa studies, nuclear　disarmament, postwar reparations, economic growth and women’s labor in the Philippines, international cooperation and NGOs in Africa, and measures to mitigate human–elephant conflict in Tanzania. Public research seminars related to these projects are also planned.

At present, the Institute is conducting a sustained research seminar serieson peace in Japan and East Asia, with the aim of publishing a collective volume based on its findings.

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Contact

y-hori[at]waseda.jp
※Replace [at] with the at sign [@]

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