Practical anthropological research to promote social working in the indigenous societies in Alaska

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12960
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Josai International University
• Principal Investigator: INOUE TOSHIAKI 城西国際大学, 福祉総合学部, 教授 (00265521)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 実践人類学 / 先住民社会 / 伝統的手法 / 若年者 / アラスカ / 援助 / メンター / ソーシャルワーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to learn the tradition of the education by the mentor in the indigenous societies in Alaska, and to build up the framework to help adolescents who face problems with utilize the way of mentoring.　The researcher visited one of the Alaska Native's society 4 times. The results from these surveys show, a) teaching adolescents by mentor has been an important way in passing their cultural traditions, b) “observation” is the key factor on mentoring, c) they are using mentoring for passing traditional skills/philosophy, and d) there is an education gap between adolescents in opportunity to have a mentor.
The researcher conducted meeting with the member of this society to build up the support system for youth. We found several factors to consider, and finally constructed the proposal of a match-making system connect with mentor and adolescents.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究で、日米両国でも資料が乏しいアラスカ先住民社会における「実親以外の成人による若者教育」の伝統や現在での活用例に関する民族誌的資料を収集することができた。この成果は、研究論文1本、学会等での研究発表４回で公開した。さらにこの民族誌的知見を人類学と親和性の高い福祉の領域と組み合わせて、現地社会に社会問題の解決法を提案するという実践人類学上のモデルを提示できた。
現地の社会資源などの理由で、すぐに実施可能な制度の構築までは至らなかったが、構築を目指す過程で現地社会成員と議論を重ねることにより、若者が直面する問題の分析、理解を促すことに成功した。