Basic Research on Welfare Policies for Marginalized Communities

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08010:Sociology-related
• Research Institution: Nagano University
• Principal Investigator: Yano Ryo 長野大学, 社会福祉学部, 教授 (00755324)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 歴史社会学 / 地域社会学 / 福祉社会学 / 社会福祉学 / 社会福祉政策 / 限界集落 / 過疎 / 生存保障システム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focuses on Nagano Prefecture, one of the most marginalized rural areas in Japan, and investigates what kind of welfare policies and practices have been developed in local communities, and what kind of policies and measures are currently being implemented to ensure people's survival and wellbeing. In addition to document analysis and literature research, quantitative surveys such as the Generational Life Satisfaction Survey and the Minimum Cost of Living Estimation Survey were combined with qualitative research such as field surveys and interviews. The results revealed that, amid population aging and depopulation, the performance of measures in local communities initially changed to a "welfare diamond," but the COVID-19 pandemic reversed this trend.

Free Research Field

社会学　社会福祉学　社会福祉政策

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究成果の学術的・社会的意義として，第一に，地方における〈社会的なもの〉を歴史社会学的な視角から「地方社会課」を主軸として明示しえたことは，2022年度の『社会福祉学』歴史部門でも記載されている通り，大きな業績であった．第二に，行政主体のアウトリーチ活動が条件不利地域で暮らす住民への資源供給に寄与し，人口減少に歯止めをかけてきた点を実証しえたことは，過疎地域における「ケアの脱家族化」と現象している「ケアの再家族化」を考察する上での重要な基礎データとなった．最後に，過疎地域での最低生計費試算を通じて社会関係に覆われた所得状況等を把握できたことは，限界集落の福祉政策を考える上での布石となった．