{"id":88677,"date":"2026-07-08T09:06:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T00:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=88677"},"modified":"2026-07-08T09:07:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T00:07:15","slug":"podcast-column-how-territorial-disputes-take-shape-in-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/88677","title":{"rendered":"[Podcast Column] How Territorial Disputes Take Shape in Society"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This podcast column presents the third episode of Season 2 of\u00a0Waseda University\u2019s English-language podcast \u201cRigorous Research, Real Impact.\u201d Professor Alexander Bukh (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fire\/gsaps\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) serves as the guest in the episode titled \u201cSocial Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia.\u201d <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In the excerpt below, Professor Bukh leverages his research to introduce the concept of territorial disputes as \u201csocially constructed,\u201d explaining how the meanings attached to political issues emerge through social processes within societies. Using the example of a Rolex watch, he illustrates how shared interpretations<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">such as associating objects with status or wealth<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">develop and become widely accepted, even though they are not\u00a0inherent to the object itself.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Social Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia (Prof. Alexander Bukh)\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/6MBZsqVFLnFkziyYzc3JuR?si=qIv20aOmRI2jBO8kTffg_g&amp;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">All eight episodes of Season 2\u00a0of\u00a0Waseda\u00a0University\u2019s English podcast \u201cRigorous Research, Real Impact\u201d\u00a0are\u00a0currently streaming for free on\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/61VF3lETynCBuXt1AxXjXK?si=3eba847f8061431e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Spotify,<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/e0aa1340-7af7-4227-9361-88eecc575214\/waseda-university-podcasts-rigorous-research-real-impact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Amazon Music<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/waseda-university-podcasts-rigorous-research-real-impact\/id1777915569\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Apple Podcasts<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLeA0hDJkLYZDjs3b58eEZ1WnkvNJf9e9R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">YouTube<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_88678\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/86122\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88678 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026.6.29-Eng-Pod-Column-Episode-3-cropped-banner.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1638\" height=\"934\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026.6.29-Eng-Pod-Column-Episode-3-cropped-banner.png 1638w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026.6.29-Eng-Pod-Column-Episode-3-cropped-banner-610x348.png 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026.6.29-Eng-Pod-Column-Episode-3-cropped-banner-768x438.png 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026.6.29-Eng-Pod-Column-Episode-3-cropped-banner-1536x876.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1638px) 100vw, 1638px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can read the full transcript by clicking the above episode banner.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Question:\u00a0Your book\u00a0<\/span><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sup.org\/books\/politics\/these-islands-are-ours\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">These Islands Are Ours<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">introduces the idea of territorial disputes as socially constructed. Could you briefly explain what this means and how such disputes become embedded in national identity and collective memory, for example in cases like Dokdo\/Takeshima?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professor Bukh (1:47):<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">First, I think we should briefly talk about what it means to be socially constructed. This is a concept that comes from sociology but has been embraced by other social sciences like international relations, the discipline I belong to, but also political science, history,\u00a0economics, and many other disciplines, as well. So, what does it mean to be socially constructed? The meaning is\u00a0rather simple: it means that the various meanings associated with certain material objects or issues\u00a0emerge\u00a0in a specific social process. So, different processes that take place inside societies ascribe certain meanings to these objects, issues, or events, and these meanings become shared by others\u2014by most members of\u00a0the society\u00a0or by the whole society.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professor Bukh (2:37):<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">A good example would be something like a Rolex watch. When we see somebody with a Rolex, I mean,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0just a watch,\u00a0basically a\u00a0machine to show time. But when we see somebody with a Rolex, we associate this person\u00a0maybe with\u00a0success, wealth, or\u00a0maybe showing\u00a0off. So, these meanings will be shared by most members of\u00a0a society, and we take this for granted. Everybody, I think, in\u00a0the modern\u00a0society, you know, will share this understanding when they see somebody with a Rolex. But this meaning ascribed to a Rolex watch, it\u00a0emerges\u00a0within, inside, specific social processes, and then\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0disseminated\u00a0inside\u00a0the society<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professor Bukh (3:13):<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">So this is what we mean by social construction: meanings associated again, with certain objects, issues, things, they\u00a0emerge\u00a0inside social processes. And this is what I mean by the social construction of territorial disputes. Because in the case of territorial disputes in Asia, Northeast Asia, including Dokdo\/Takeshima that you mentioned, the roots of territorial disputes, they go back to, well, the defeat of Japan, the San Francisco Peace Treaty, the way this treaty has been written. But the meanings associated with these territories, these disputed territories, they\u00a0emerged\u00a0inside or\u00a0as a result of\u00a0specific social processes that took place in various countries involved.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Waseda Podcasts: &quot;Rigorous Research, Real Impact&quot;-- Season 2, Ep. 3 Teaser\" width=\"422\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6JIwMLWQ9eY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88681 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"508\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC_5689-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">About the Guest:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/w-rdb.waseda.jp\/html\/100003972_en.html\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Professor Alexander Bukh<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<br \/>\n<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professor Alexander Bukh teaches in the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies. He has a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics (LSE) and has previously taught at LSE, Tsukuba University, and the Victoria University of Wellington. Professor Bukh specializes in international relations, international relations of Northeast Asia, and Japan-Korea and Japan-Russia relations. He is a member of the International Studies Association (ISA), the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), and the Association for Borderland Studies.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This podcast column presents the third episode of Season 2 of\u00a0Waseda University\u2019s English-language podcast \u201cRi [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":88684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,117],"tags":[355,379,178],"class_list":["post-88677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-topic","tag-highlight-en","tag-podcast-en","tag-research-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88677"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88690,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88677\/revisions\/88690"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}