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Fusion of Self-Help Group Spirituality and Indigenous Knowledge: Challenging the Discourse of Popular Psychology

Research Project

Project/Area Number 16K04184
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Research Field Social welfare and social work studies
Research InstitutionSophia University

Principal Investigator

Oka Tomofumi  上智大学, 総合人間科学部, 教授 (50194329)

Project Period (FY) 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Keywords自助グル-プ / スピリチュアリティ / 土着の知 / 通俗心理学 / 自助グループ / 体験的知識 / 専門的知識 / 断酒会 / 自死遺族 / 経験的知識 / 素人の知識 / 自助集団 / マレーシア / スウェーデン / 死別 / ソーシャルワークのグローバル定義 / キリスト教 / イスラム教 / 世俗化 / 言説分析
Outline of Final Research Achievements

Self-help groups have been understood to work with experiential knowledge, which is accumulated through the exchange of experiences by people in similar conditions. Their experiential knowledge has been discussed in comparison with professional knowledge and with lay knowledge. These three kinds of knowledge are not exclusive to each other. The purpose of my research was to expand our understanding of the experiential knowledge base of self-help groups by including two additional knowledge sources: popular psychology and indigenous/religious knowledge. The discussion includes three influential social factors: the legitimization by local government, the alliance between self-help groups and professionals, and the declining religious rites as containers of indigenous knowledge. My research implies we should be wary of the nature of the experiential knowledge of self-help groups, which is greatly influenced by socio-cultural factors unrelated to their members’ experiences.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自助グループの「体験的知識」は、共通の体験をもつ当事者のわかちあいにより形成され、専門職のもつ専門的知識と異なるものとして理解されてきた。しかしながら実際には、その区別は容易ではない。当事者が生活する空間には、すでに通俗心理学に基づく知識や土着の知が堆積し、それとの区別もつきにくい。本研究は自助グループの体験的知識の純粋性に疑問を投げかけ、この概念のさらなる吟味の必要性を訴えたことに意義がある。

Report

(5 results)
  • 2019 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2018 Research-status Report
  • 2017 Research-status Report
  • 2016 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (14 results)

All 2019 2018 2017 2016 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (3 results) Journal Article (1 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 1 results,  Peer Reviewed: 1 results,  Open Access: 1 results,  Acknowledgement Compliant: 1 results) Presentation (10 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 10 results,  Invited: 1 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] Universiti Sains Malaysia(マレーシア)

    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Universiti Sains Malaysia(マレーシア)

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Linkoping University(スウェーデン)

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
  • [Journal Article] The Diversity of Indigenous Wisdom on Grief: Exploring Social Work Approaches to Bereavement2017

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka, Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin, & Anneli Silven Hagstrom
    • Journal Title

      The IAFOR International Conference on the Social Sciences: Hawaii 2017 Official Conference Proceedings

      Volume: なし Pages: 53-65

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
  • [Presentation] A half-century-old Japanese therapeutic community of male alcoholics in Japan: Danshu-Dojo’s application of Zen Buddhism to overcome alcoholism2019

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka, Richard Chenhall
    • Organizer
      USM-International Conference on Social Sciences 2019
    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] The knowledge base of self-help groups in Japan: Experience, popular psychology, and indigenous/religious knowledge2018

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      the 3rd International Social Development Conference
    • Related Report
      2018 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Spirituality as a third essential element of Japanese self-help groups2018

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      The Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development 2018
    • Related Report
      2018 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Conducting phenomenological research on self-help groups: How to understand an experience that you do not share?2018

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      the Qualitative Report's 9th Annual Conference
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] A comparative Cultural Literature Review of Bereavement and Social Work with Malay Muslims and Japanese Buddhists2018

    • Author(s)
      Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin, & Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      Progressive Connexions, 1st Global Conference, The End of Life Experience: Dying, Death and Culture in the 21st Century
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Practice research with leaders of self-help groups: Empowering people through knowledge production2017

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      4th International Conference on Practice Research
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Developing Experiential Knowledge of Self-Help Groups under the Influence of Professional and Indigenous Knowledges2017

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      16th Biennial Conference of the Society for Community Research and Action
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Spirituality and Indigenous Social Work: A Cross-Cultural Study of Muslim Malaysia and Buddhist Japan2017

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka, & Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin
    • Organizer
      Borneo International Social Work Symposium 2017
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Equal Partnership, Indigenous Wisdom, and Readiness to Respond: Working with Self-Help Groups2016

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health
    • Place of Presentation
      National University of Singapore、シンガポール
    • Year and Date
      2016-06-19
    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] An Application of Indigenous Japanese Knowledge to Family Survivors of Suicide: An Intervention Informed by the Global Definition of Social Work2016

    • Author(s)
      Tomofumi Oka
    • Organizer
      8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health
    • Place of Presentation
      National University of Singapore、シンガポール
    • Year and Date
      2016-06-19
    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research

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Published: 2016-04-21   Modified: 2021-02-19  

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