2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Forgiving Children: Anglophone African Child Soldier Narratives
Project/Area Number |
20K00427
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Research Institution | Doshisha University |
Principal Investigator |
MCKAY DanielEric 同志社大学, グローバル・スタディーズ研究科, 准教授 (10803744)
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Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | Child soldiers |
Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The research achievements of this project have been limited, owing to the negative impact of the travel disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While I have been able to obtain the primary source material required of my research, I have not been able to visit any Africa-based research institute, as I had anticipated I would do in my original research proposal. A positive outcome, however, is that I have obtained most of the secondary printed materials (of a scholarly nature) that can aid my research. While the field of research is certainly developing, nonetheless I do not anticipate a need for large-scale book purchases in the future.
Conference attendance has also not been possible, though I have maintained contact with conference organizers and they inform me that a return to normal conference activities may be possible in the near future. To compensate for this situation, I have taken out some print subscriptions to journals and magazines that might aid my research project.
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Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
I have not been able to visit the University of the Western Cape, as planned. Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic has caused a serious disruption to everyday teaching at Doshisha University. In addition, I was unable to return to Japan for an extended period last year, owing to a ban on foreigners entering the country.
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Strategy for Future Research Activity |
I am about to begin writing my first research article and expect the results to be of a publishable standard. If I had established a research network in South Africa, the situation would be better. However, I am still able to proceed with the work and I have assembled the print resources necessary to do so. Furthermore, the disruptions to teaching have stabilized and so I anticipate no further delays of an unexpected nature.
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Causes of Carryover |
In the next financial year, there will be a considerable need to make up for the lost time incurred over the last year. My hope is that travel restrictions to the African continent may lift, in which case I shall make use of the funding to visit the University of the Western Cape and / or another higher education research institution in South Africa. Even if that is not possible, I may incur additional expenditures if there should be new scholarly publications in the field (which this is improbable, it is a factor). Thirdly, I may need to update my computer equipment (laptop), as this is showing signs of age and is not as reliable as it used to be. Finally, I believe that domestic conference attendance or attendance at a 'safe' country ought to be possible at that time.
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