An International Comparative Study of Mutual Help Networks from the Viewpoint of Folk Sociology

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23530679
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Ryutsu Keizai University
• Principal Investigator: ONDA Morio 流通経済大学, 社会学部, 教授 (00254897)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 互助ネットワーク / 互酬的行為 / 再分配的行為 / 支援（援助）的行為 / 互助制度の社会的移出入 / 東アジア的互助社会 / 東アジア共同体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mutual help as a spontaneous social order is important factor for our lives. The action of mutual help in regional societies is divided into three types based on the direction of actions. One is reciprocity in helping to plant rice and re-roof houses by exchanging labor. The second is redistribution. In exchange for the right to get goods from a common store, local people have the obligation to maintain common-pool resources. Finally, unidirectional help refers to support in funeral and wedding ceremonies requiring no monetary exchange. Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan have similar patterns of mutual help action. The study explored both the commonalities and differences among them considering their interaction. Although the qualities of mutual help networks differ among these countries and political differences present formidable obstacles, the populace could find common ground based on shared notions of traditional communal help to connect as an East Asian community.

Free Research Field

社会学