UCLan-MIDEX Webinar: Civil Society and International Students in Japan: The Making of Social Capital, by Dr Polina Ivanova

24 May 2023

Polina Ivanova’s forthcoming monograph (available for pre-order at Routledge on 23 June 2023) explores encounters and interactions between international students and local civil society organisations (CSOs) in Japan.

Based on the results of a cross-case analysis, this study reveals the possibilities for international students in Japan of creating social capital in the short term in culturally and socially diverse groups. While a conventional approach sees universities as the main support providers, this research shows the role of local CSOs as alternative actors offering international student support. Unlike the long-standing paradigm viewing Japanese civil society as top-down and closely following the government, this book uncovers many decentralised and bottom-up organisational types. Furthermore, it highlights an active part taken by foreign staff and volunteers in Japanese CSOs, which challenges the guest-host dichotomy of the previous literature. The book also includes a chapter on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students, civil society, and social capital.

Presenting a reconsidered insight into the role of international students and their interaction with CSOs in community building, this book will appeal to students and scholars of Asian studies, and migration studies as well as organisers of CSOs and faculty of international higher education institutions.

Polina Ivanova is a postdoctoral researcher at Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan) where she obtained her PhD in International Relations in March 2021. Her research interests lie in the area of international migration focusing on international student mobility and more recently on refugees and asylum seekers. Her forthcoming book “Civil society and international students in Japan: The making of social capital” (Routledge, 2023) is based on her doctoral dissertation examining interaction between civil society groups and international students in the Kansai area of Japan and her postdoctoral research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Polina participated in four collaborative projects with research partners from Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, United States and published six peer-reviewed articles and two policy briefs based on this work. Her current project is an edited volume on refugees and asylum seekers in Japan and Taiwan, co-edited with Dr Lara Momesso (UCLan) and bringing together 22 researchers and practitioners from Japan, UK, US, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Czech Republic.

Wednesday 24 May 16.00-17.00: Online and ABLT4

Latest News

  • Call for papers 2025 IASFM Conference 2025, Indonesia

    Panel: Border Externalisation: Critical Global Perspectives Externalisation is a strategy whereby States instigate measures beyond their own territorial borders in order to prevent or deter the entry of migrants who lack the requisite legal entry...
  • Check out the programme of the 2024 PhD School

    The PhD school, organised by the Centre for Migration, Diaspora and Exile (MIDEX) and the Global Race Centre for Equality (GRACE) at the University of Lancashire (UCLan) and will bring together scholars and young reserachers exploring the concepts of...
  • Greetings to All Participants of the 2024 IMISCOE Annual Conference

    We extend a warm welcome to each of you on behalf of the Standing Committee on Education and Social Inequality! As advocates committed to addressing the complex interplay of education and social inequality within migration contexts, we're excited to...
  • The 2024 IMISCOE Annual Conference programme is now available!

    We are pleased to inform you that the conference programme is now available here: https://www.imiscoe.org/conference . You can access all details about the sessions once you log in with your IMISCOE account. The conference includes over 300 panels and...
  • SC Education and Social Inequality – New board member call (extension)

    Dear colleagues, We are pleased to share with you the opportunity to join our team. If you possess a keen interest in contributing to the activities of the SC and aspire to become a pivotal part of our collaborative efforts, we welcome your application....