Social Inquiry Unit

To become someone who can question societal norms, gain deep insights, and understand the values of diverse people. Through social research techniques, you will acquire the practical skills necessary to discern the essence of complex problems and create a better society.

This course explores the perspective of "educational sociology," which objectively analyzes education not only as a matter of "individual effort" but also in relation to the structure of society. Using data and theory, we will unravel the role that schools play in society and how they influence our lives. Specifically, we will examine structural challenges facing Japanese education from a macro perspective, such as "educational inequality," where family economic circumstances affect educational attainment, and the "selective function" of educational attainment, which determines future status. We will also study "ethnography," which delves deeply into interpersonal relationships within the classroom, such as bullying and truancy, and economic aspects such as scholarships and tuition fees, which have recently attracted attention, prompting us to re-examine the image of "school" that we have taken for granted. Through group discussions and presentations, we will cultivate the ability to think about the future of education from diverse perspectives.