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The significance of community relations in democracy and peace-building: the case of Komeito-Soka Gakkai in realising SDG16

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20K01486
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 06010:Politics-related
Research InstitutionSoka University

Principal Investigator

Fisker-Nielsen Anne Mette  創価大学, 文学部, 准教授 (20817192)

Project Period (FY) 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
Budget Amount *help
¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
KeywordsCOVID-19 / Gender / Religion-politics / Soka Gakkai / Civil Society / Okinawa / Youth / SDGs / local governance / gender equity and SDGs / religion / civil society / responses to COVID-19 / historical memory / populist politics / local politics Okinawa / religion and politics / identity politics / Komeito-Okinawa / local-national politics / politics and livelihood / Nago local communities / Komeito-Soka Gakkai / SDG 16
Outline of Research at the Start

Drawing upon micro level case studies in contested political arenas such the Futenma Airbase relocation to Henoko this research investigates how Komeito and Soka Gakkai represent a significant alternative to otherwise polarised politics. Although religion has typically been seen as the world of `moral absolutes` politics is increasingly expressed through a new `psychology of purity` (Robert Putnam), the research elucidates that while divisive politics dominate contested areas, the middle-ground of Komeito is significant to policy outcomes, sound local-national governance, peaceful relations.

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Three journal articles based on first hand fieldwork and in-depth ethnographic interviews with Soka Gakkai members in Okinawa and Tokyo, and with Komeito politicians and officials in Soka Gakkai were published. The situation of the COVID-19 Pandemic illuminated a different mode of being. The response was not populist but actively used digital media communication tools to provide the latest science-based WHO information to its membership and supporters, while also combatting the rapidly emerging social issues such as discrimination directly. The research also revealed a deeper generational transformation occurring in terms of gender, where both young women and men seek a less gendered lifestyle, using the SDGs framework to push for change. The third part of the research focused on the way historically, the discourse on religion has been socially productive, pointing to Soka Gakkai as providing a counter-episteme that is brought to bear on individual and collective action.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

First hand fieldwork and in-depth ethnographic interviews show how Soka Gakkai approached the COVID-19 Pandemic, revealing a deeper generational transformation in terms of gender. The research also showed how the discourse on religion point brought to bear on individual and collective action.

Report

(4 results)
  • 2022 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (7 results)

All 2023 2022

All Journal Article (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 3 results,  Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Open Access: 3 results) Presentation (4 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 2 results)

  • [Journal Article] The Soka Gakkai Practice of Buppo and the Discourse on Religion in Japan2022

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Journal Title

      Religions

      Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Pages: 1-27

    • DOI

      10.3390/rel13020167

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report 2021 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] ‘Genderism vs. Humanism’: The Generational Shift and Push for Implementing Gender Equality within Soka Gakkai-Japan2022

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Journal Title

      Religions

      Volume: 13 Issue: 5 Pages: 1-34

    • DOI

      10.3390/rel13050468

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Refocusing Body, Mind and Community Interconnections: Soka Gakkai’s “Mission” and “Human Revolution” amidst the Biosocial Crisis of COVID-192022

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Journal Title

      Social Sciences and Missions, Brill

      Volume: 1 Issue: 3-4 Pages: 1-34

    • DOI

      10.1163/18748945-bja10063

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Soka Gakkai’s Approach to Human Security: Fostering substantial human security through cultivating an inner transformation in attitude and cultural outlook2023

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Organizer
      UNDP co-sponsored 2023 Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs: (2023 Theme) Framing Human Security as Shared Security for People and the Planet
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Buddhism as knowing oneself as ‘greater’ than the normative socio-cultural affects assembled2023

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Organizer
      Institute of Oriental Philosophy Symposium 2023: War, Peace, Dignity
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Soka Gakkai responses to COVID-19: Suffering, Hope, and a Civil Society in Crisis Mode2022

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Organizer
      Resilient Religion, 18th annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR), Piza, Italy
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Courage as a source of relational creativity in the everyday when the “enemy” is less clear: living in proximity to the US-Japan military complex in Okinawa and the failure of the future2022

    • Author(s)
      Fisker-Nielsen, Anne Mette
    • Organizer
      European Association Social Anthropology Conference 2022: Transformation, Hope and Commons
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research

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Published: 2020-04-28   Modified: 2024-01-30  

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