2022 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
"Displaced Spiritualities;" Religious conviction among refugee asylum seekers in Tokyo
| Project/Area Number |
22K01100
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| Research Institution | Sophia University |
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Principal Investigator |
Slater David 上智大学, 国際教養学部, 教授 (70296888)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2022-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | archive / oral narrative / refugees / spirituality |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The purpose of this project is to answer fundamental questions facing society today. What is the role of personal religious spirituality as manifest across different religions in one of the most challenged populations on earth: refugee asylum seekers from the Global South? How do displaced individuals, far away from home, community, and institution, call up spiritual resources for sustenance, guidance and solace? While we are familiar with the strife that religious persecution can cause, our focus is on the productive and generative, protective and liberating role that religious spirituality plays for refugees.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Our data collection is proceeding as planned. What we had not full anticipated is the speed of which our project was able to produce and disseminate longer-format video materials in public showings--one of your key goals. “Religion on the Move: the role of faith in the life of refugees in Tokyo” is a 31 minute film that we were able to edit quite quickly, using our "spiritual life inquiry" methodology. This is a film that shows the role of Christianity on three African refugees currently living in Tokyo. We have organized showing in and around Tokyo, where at each showing, at least one of the refugees featured were able to join the discussion.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
While some of our energies were more focused on the dissemination of the film during our first year--which was substantially faster than expected--for our 2nd year, we will continue with our data collection around our primary themes--the religious life of refugees. Already, in 2023, we have hosted a conference primarily with Kurdish refugees and scholars where a full session was focused on religious issues. Moreover, we will continue to add to our open source website, building upon previous research, now adding depth and breath to the themes of spirituality.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The flow of research is often unpredictable, even in the most well-planned projects. When the project involves human subjects and in particular vulnerable populations, the level of unpredictability increases. We have been fortunate enough to have increased opportunity for dissemination during our first year--something we did not expect. For that reason next year, we will be using more of this funding on data collection, getting back on schedule.
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Research Products
(5 results)
