A Critical Study Against Scientific Discourse of Buraku Issue

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25380733
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Institute on Social Theory and Dynamics
• Principal Investigator: KOBAYAKAWA Akira 特定非営利活動法人社会理論・動態研究所, その他部局, 研究員 (10601841)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUJITA Naritoshi 特定非営利法人社会理論・動態研究所, 研究員 (20605026) ; ITO Tairo 広島国際学院大学, 情報文化部, 教授 (80281765)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 小数点在部落 / 屠畜 / 竹製品 / 製革 / 製靴 / 概念の構築 / 部落問題の科学的認識 / 部落産業

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The alleged “buraku industries,” i.e. slaughtering, leather and shoe production, and bamboo craft production, have never been industries peculiar to buraku. That burakumin had strong connections with such industries is an idea widely spread in Japanese society. The scientific discourse of buraku industry has produced stereotypes against buraku and burakumin. Established buraku studies are in part responsible for the formation of these stereotypes. From the early Meiji period, both managers and workers in the mainstream of these industries have been non-burakumin. Burakumin now, even though socially disadvantaged, play a role in local industry.
There are no industries existing only in buraku. No industry has either originated or been developed exclusively in a small community such as a buraku. This is the conclusion of the current study.

Free Research Field

社会学