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Many Waseda students may feel that social issues are somehow intimidating. In "Lectures by Experts" we focus on specific problems facing society and ask four Faculty to give us hints on how to solve them.

The theme for 2023 is "How to Keep the Peace?" As the world situation becomes unstable due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Palestinian issue, we will once again consider what peace means. The fourth guest for the last session is Mitsuru Yamada Professor (Faculty of Social Sciences), who researches peacebuilding theory and international cooperation theory mainly through fieldwork. Following the first part in which Yamada talked about what Yamada thinks peace is and the viewpoints necessary to keep peace, in the second part, we asked Yamada what we can do for peace and Yamada's message to Waseda University students.

The “complex crisis” facing the increasingly globalized international community

Professor Yamada, who has been conducting fieldwork in countries around the world for many years, what do you think of the current world situation?

Globalization is a clear difference between today's international society and when I was a student in the 1970s. At that time, only a limited number of people had passports and could move freely between countries, but now many people travel across countries as a matter of course. This is probably due to the development of international economic interdependence. Broadly speaking, in the past it was possible for each country to solve the problems it faced on its own, but now the problems themselves have become more complex and transcend national borders.

For example, while the problem of poverty disparity between developed and developing countries has not yet been resolved, it is now emerging as a relative poverty problem within developed and emerging countries.. Furthermore, while the new middle class is increasing mainly in emerging countries, the current situation is that the poor continue to be left behind. Even in developed countries, there is a growing polarization between the wealthy with overwhelming economic power and workers with unstable employment and low wages, and the emergence of the Trump administration in the United States has made this inequality more apparent. It is believed that this is related to the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Furthermore, we must not forget the effects of climate change. Looking at the refugee issue as an example, there has been an increasing number of people forced from their homes not by conflict but by natural disasters such as floods and droughts, and in the future many refugees will be forced to flee their homes due to rising sea levels. In this way, I feel that the challenges facing international society are becoming more diverse and complex with globalization. This is a so-called complex crisis in which various risks are intertwined and linked together.

Cultivating imagination is the first step towards peacebuilding

Please tell us what we can do for peace in this current situation.

In the 1970s, when I went to Asian countries, Japan was often associated with economic development due to the strong performance of Honda and Toyota, but now people say that it is a country of peace. Although we may not be aware of it ourselves, Japan certainly hasthe brand of being a country that has had no conflicts since the end of World War II, and a country whose constitution stipulates pacifism. However, it goes without saying that this image was not suddenly given to us by God; it is an image that has been created due to historical circumstances and the political background of Japan's role in international relations.

That is why I believe that each individual must take responsibility for thinking about what they can do to create peace. First of all, it is important for those involved to understand the meaning and structure of peace. Why is Japan able to maintain a state of peace? If we do not try to understand its structure and process, peace will become a ``picture cake''.

In order to understand the complex crises occurring in the world, it is necessary to make an effort to visit the sites and listen to the stories of those involved as much as possible. For this reason, in my seminars and classes, I try to give students as much fieldwork experience as possible.

Fieldwork in Cambodia in August 2012
Photo left: Students participating in the “Practical Practice in Conflict Resolution Theory” participating in training on the post-civil war landmine issue
Photo on the right: The country is one of the countries in the world with the largest amount of anti-personnel landmines, but flags are being erected everywhere to warn people as the mine clearance has not kept pace.

Does this mean that in addition to lectures, it is also important to think about peace through experience in the field?

The reason I take students on fieldwork is because I want them to develop their imagination. Nowadays, it is not difficult to learn about the history of each country and the facts of conflicts by searching on your smartphone. However, it is important to know the real background. There is a lot of information and awareness that can only be obtained by observing the scene, so use your imagination and think again about why things happened and what they are.

Imagination that is closely related to the local area and its people increases one's sensitivity to issues and provides an opportunity to take an interest in broader social issues. More specifically, I believe that this is the first step towards peacebuilding.

At a time when the international community is facing multiple crises, what is needed to preserve peace is for each individual to start with something they can do. Poverty and hunger, access to education and health, discrimination and oppression, environmental issues including climate change...the problems of the increasingly complex international community are intertwined with each other and influence each other. First, focus on your area of interest, whichever field you are interested in, and then work on it, which should eventually lead to peacebuilding.

A report prepared by students participating in fieldwork. Rather than retaining the knowledge and insights gained in the field, upon returning to Japan, students divided into groups and each set a theme and created a report.

Lastly, please give a message to the students.

"Peace" can be said to be one of the global public goods. For example, parks and traffic lights are public goods, but we have to pay some kind of consideration, such as taxes, to make them possible. The same goes for peace, and we shouldn't be free riders trying to get a free ride on it. The bare minimum is to go to the polls and express one's will, but when you see and hear the daily news reports, try to imagine the background.

All students have strengths that are unique to students, such as light footwork and long vacations. Please take advantage of this advantage and access the theme of peace from your area of interest.

Interview and text: Akane Ichikawa (Graduated from School of Culture, Media and Society in 2017)
Photography: Kota Nunokawa
Image design: Ryo Uchida

▼Click here for the first part!

"How do you protect peace?" Tell me! Professor Yamada (Part 1)