卒業論文詳細 | 同志社大学社会学研究科

学科	教育文化学科	ゼミ教員名	WILLIAM ROBERT STEVENSON III	年度	2016年度
タイトル	The Many Meanings of Sustainable Development in Japan: An Analysis of Newspaper Articles Between 1987 and 2015

内容	The purpose of this study is to evaluate public understanding of SD and ESD between 1987 and 2015 as a way to make sense of changes or fluctuations in the way that SD and ESD have developed in Japan. The method for investigation is to conduct the newspaper archive survey by running fourteen words or phrases through three Japanese newspapers－Mainichi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun and United Nations materials. Assuming a correlation between newspaper output and public consciousness, this study examines when and how people’s concern with SD or ESD increased, and which spheres of ESD (society, economy, and environment) people are interested in based on the number of articles that use each keyword. This paper reached five conclusions. First, Japanese newspaper describe sustainable development in the context of the environment. Second, a common outcome trend in each newspaper is that negative statements about sustainable development and ESD increased year by year. A third discovery is that recognition rates of SD and ESD were low in all newspapers, even during the period of DESD. A fourth conclusion is that public participation in SD and ESD activities increased toward DESD. The last conclusion is that the number of articles related to sustainable development and ESD drastically decreased in the years when there was no major conferences or summits. As remarked, media reports have a strong association with concerns or attitudes of the people. Therefore, these outcomes have similarities to Japanese perceptions of sustainable development and ESD.

内容

The purpose of this study is to evaluate public understanding of SD and ESD between 1987 and 2015 as a way to make sense of changes or fluctuations in the way that SD and ESD have developed in Japan. The method for investigation is to conduct the newspaper archive survey by running fourteen words or phrases through three Japanese newspapers－Mainichi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun and United Nations materials. Assuming a correlation between newspaper output and public consciousness, this study examines when and how people’s concern with SD or ESD increased, and which spheres of ESD (society, economy, and environment) people are interested in based on the number of articles that use each keyword. This paper reached five conclusions. First, Japanese newspaper describe sustainable development in the context of the environment. Second, a common outcome trend in each newspaper is that negative statements about sustainable development and ESD increased year by year. A third discovery is that recognition rates of SD and ESD were low in all newspapers, even during the period of DESD. A fourth conclusion is that public participation in SD and ESD activities increased toward DESD. The last conclusion is that the number of articles related to sustainable development and ESD drastically decreased in the years when there was no major conferences or summits. As remarked, media reports have a strong association with concerns or attitudes of the people. Therefore, these outcomes have similarities to Japanese perceptions of sustainable development and ESD.

講評	Befitting a seminar dedicated to examining educational developments on a global scale, this year’s graduation theses span a world of topics. Several examine how cultures change (or remain the same) as they cross traditional borders. Some focus on educational practices specific to Japan, looking to place them in a global context. Others look at global trends that, for one reason or another, have yet to be fully integrated into Japan. Two papers are comparative studies, contrasting policies across national borders. The most popular theme this year was ESD, with a total of four related papers. Several papers rely heavily on newspaper archives, while others are based primarily on interviews. All of the papers contain sections that are thoroughly original, evidencing the effort of seminar members to either work with new topics or take new approaches to more familiar themes. Naturally, in addition to the normal challenges of researching and writing, all of the students wrote their final papers in English using at least some English-language materials. I am proud of the students’ work and convinced that the process of researching and writing has enrichened their intellectual growth. Well done!

講評

Befitting a seminar dedicated to examining educational developments on a global scale, this year’s graduation theses span a world of topics. Several examine how cultures change (or remain the same) as they cross traditional borders. Some focus on educational practices specific to Japan, looking to place them in a global context. Others look at global trends that, for one reason or another, have yet to be fully integrated into Japan. Two papers are comparative studies, contrasting policies across national borders. The most popular theme this year was ESD, with a total of four related papers. Several papers rely heavily on newspaper archives, while others are based primarily on interviews. All of the papers contain sections that are thoroughly original, evidencing the effort of seminar members to either work with new topics or take new approaches to more familiar themes. Naturally, in addition to the normal challenges of researching and writing, all of the students wrote their final papers in English using at least some English-language materials. I am proud of the students’ work and convinced that the process of researching and writing has enrichened their intellectual growth. Well done!

キーワード1	sustainable development
キーワード2	ESD
キーワード3	DESD
キーワード4	newspaper articles
キーワード5	Japanese perceptions