An Exploratory Study on the Relationship between Multicultural Society and Subjective Disparity

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18589
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 8:Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Yokomizo Tamaki 茨城大学, 人文社会科学部, 准教授 (20733752)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 主観的格差 / 関係流動性 / 承認／包摂 / 社会改革 / マイノリティ / マジョリティ / 抑制／促進 / PAC分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study found two disparities, relational mobility and approval / inclusive disparities. First, participants who had higher relational mobility tended not to feel any disparities. Second, participants who felt that they were hindered in the performance of their abilities and personalities, were unapproved by the reference group member and excluded from the group, tended to feel disparities.
The inhibitors of social reform were (1)attributing responsibility for subjective disparities to oneself, (2)deciding by majority rule, (3)experiencing unbalanced relationships in which “the majority accepts the minority, and the minority is accepted by the majority,” and (4)the existence normative stereotypes. The facilitators of social reform were (1)attributing responsibility for subjective disparities to society, (2)questioning the standards that define differences, (3)having other-oriented motives, and cooperating with those close to one’s own, and (4)following the wave of the times.

Free Research Field

多文化共生、多文化社会、多文化関係、多文化コミュニケーション、多文化教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

第一に、主観的格差感に影響を与える2つの構成要素（関係流動性格差（準拠集団の選択の自由度）および承認／包摂格差）を見出したことである。
第二に、社会改革の抑制要因と促進要因を、主観的格差感を交えて明らかにした点である。
加えて、今後の社会改革の進展は、メインストリームの内外を問わず、人々、とりわけマジョリティが自らの“違和感”を新しい社会的現実の一歩（多様な選択肢の一つ）として捉えられるかどうかに懸っていることを指摘した点も意義の一つであると考えられる。