2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Investigating student perceptions of multiculturalism and developing their intercultural communication competence
| Project/Area Number |
20K00899
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| Research Institution | Hosei University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Multiculturalism / Acculturation strategy / National identity / Policy for immigration |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The main object of this research is to investigate the Japanese young generation’s perception and attitude toward multiculturalism in Japanese society. It is important to analyze the current state of multiculturalism because through the analysis it will be able to predict the path of multiculturalism and provide multicultural co-living which give satisfaction to both majority and minority in Japanese society.
A study that is a foundation for this research has completed and been published in 2020. The foundation study was about measuring Japanese students’ perception and attitude toward multiculturalism. The results from the foundation study are great resources to guide and obtain solid data from this research. Through the foundation study, it could have a strong literature groundwork and deep understating of the current position. In addition, it was able to extend various variables that affect perceptions of and attitudes toward multiculturalism for this research. It was also proved the necessity of examining policies for immigration and multiculturalism in Japan. That is, to build a sustained multicultural society in Japan, it must be supported along with the proper policy and practice about multiculturalism by the Japanese government, policy-makers, and educators. Therefore, based on the result of the foundation study, it was able to make up the solid literature groundwork and survey questionnaire in 2020.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Original plan was making survey questionnaires, carrying out the survey, and collecting and organizing data for the study in 2020. Under the COVID 19 circumstance, it was very difficult to find out conductors and participants for the survey. Therefore, carrying out the survey, and collecting and organizing data for the study were not able to execute. However, in 2020, the foundation study for this research was completed and published. Therefore, even though some original plans could be not carried out, it would be valuable to have some result of the foundation study that make extend some variables that affect perceptions of and attitudes toward multiculturalism for this research. Therefore, in 2020 I could focus on reviewing literature about various variables that affect perceptions of and attitudes toward multiculturalism. Based on the literature review, I have been also making solid survey questionnaires for this study.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In 2021, not only carrying out the survey, and collecting and organizing data for the study but also the collected and organized data will be analyzed.
In addition, I am counting to adopt a new method. One of main finding from the foundation study was that Japanese students have a fair understanding of the important concept of multiculturalism in principle, yet they do not coincide with it in practice. To find out some factors of this phenomenon, it is considering a comparison study with Korean students’ perception and attitude toward multiculturalism. The reason being is because Japan and Korea have not only similar cultural and ethnical pride traditionally but also similar current immigrants’ phenomenon. However, there are some different how and by whom practice the policy of multiculturalism in the society. Therefore, to find out some factors that affect students’ perception and attitude toward multiculturalism, the comparison study would be effective.
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| Causes of Carryover |
In 2020, under the COVID 19 circumstance there were many limitations to do research activities. For example, even though my research papers were accepted from two different international conferences, I could not attend the conferences because they were extended to 2021. In addition, it was very difficult to find some conductors and participants for the survey. Therefore, in 2021 I hope these research activities are able to come true. If the research activities become more flexible than 2020, the amount unused from 2020 will be used in 2021.
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