卒業論文詳細 | 同志社大学社会学研究科

学科	社会学科	ゼミ教員名	MATTIAS VAN OMMEN	年度	2025年度
タイトル	The Emergence and Functions of “Third-like Places” in Contemporary Japan: A Reexamination of Fluid and Personalized Places through the Everyday Use of Cafés and Kissaten

内容	This study examines the contemporary roles and meanings of cafe and kissaten in Japan through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. While previous research has often framed these spaces through Oldenburg’s concept of the “third place ,” the findings of this research suggest that classical third-place characteristics no longer fully capture how people use and interpret such spaces today. Interview data revealed that users choose cafés and kissaten not primarily for community-building or conversation , but for regulating their own emotional state , adjusting social distance , and selecting environments that fit specific purposes such as studying , resting , or talking with friends. Participant observation at a chain cafe , an independent cafe , and a traditional kissaten further showed that each type of space offers a distinct rhythm—efficient , diverse , or slow—and supports different modes of co-presence without demanding interaction. Synthesizing these results , the study proposes the concept of the “third-like place ,” a fluid and personalized space that enables individuals to balance solitude and connection in an increasingly individualized and mobile society. The research highlights cafés and kissaten as emotional and social infrastructures that allow people to manage their everyday lives within the broader context of fluid modernity.

内容

This study examines the contemporary roles and meanings of cafe and kissaten in Japan through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. While previous research has often framed these spaces through Oldenburg’s concept of the “third place ,” the findings of this research suggest that classical third-place characteristics no longer fully capture how people use and interpret such spaces today. Interview data revealed that users choose cafés and kissaten not primarily for community-building or conversation , but for regulating their own emotional state , adjusting social distance , and selecting environments that fit specific purposes such as studying , resting , or talking with friends. Participant observation at a chain cafe , an independent cafe , and a traditional kissaten further showed that each type of space offers a distinct rhythm—efficient , diverse , or slow—and supports different modes of co-presence without demanding interaction. Synthesizing these results , the study proposes the concept of the “third-like place ,” a fluid and personalized space that enables individuals to balance solitude and connection in an increasingly individualized and mobile society. The research highlights cafés and kissaten as emotional and social infrastructures that allow people to manage their everyday lives within the broader context of fluid modernity.

講評	This thesis’ development can be characterized by two distinct phases. During the first year , the author engaged steadily with the project , successfully outlining its basic direction and identifying relevant literature. In the second year , however , this level of engagement was not consistently sustained , and key feedback—particularly concerning the literature review and methodological framing—was not adequately incorporated. As a result , the analytical potential of the proposed concept of the “Third-like Place” remains underdeveloped in the written thesis , despite being more clearly articulated in the final presentation. The originality of the idea is evident , but the thesis would have benefited from earlier and more systematic engagement with feedback throughout the research process.

講評

This thesis’ development can be characterized by two distinct phases. During the first year , the author engaged steadily with the project , successfully outlining its basic direction and identifying relevant literature. In the second year , however , this level of engagement was not consistently sustained , and key feedback—particularly concerning the literature review and methodological framing—was not adequately incorporated. As a result , the analytical potential of the proposed concept of the “Third-like Place” remains underdeveloped in the written thesis , despite being more clearly articulated in the final presentation. The originality of the idea is evident , but the thesis would have benefited from earlier and more systematic engagement with feedback throughout the research process.

キーワード1	Third-like place
キーワード2	fluid modernity
キーワード3	café
キーワード4
キーワード5