Presentations by Researchers from the JICA Ogata Research Institute at the JAHSS & JASID Joint International Conference 2024 (Part 2: Presentations on Development Cooperation)
2025.01.15
From Nov. 9–10, 2024, the 35th Annual Conference of the Japan Society for International Development (JASID) and the 14th Annual Conference of the Japan Association for Human Security Studies (JAHSS) were jointly held at Ichigaya Campus, Hosei University, and the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Research Institute). In an increasingly destabilizing world, how can a society that leaves no one behind and protects the dignity of each individual be realized? What roles can international cooperation play in doing so? With these questions as the conference theme, a variety of discussions took place.
A summary of each of the presentations by researchers from the JICA Ogata Research Institute is shared below.
In the session “Japan's Global Engagement: Human Security, Development Assistance, and Strategic Postures in Africa and Southeast Asia”, Kaizuka James , Research Fellow, the JICA Ogata Research Institute, made a presentation about the impacts of the ABE Initiative scholarship program.
The presentation, using the preliminary results of a large-scale alumni survey, examined themes relating to network formation, the perceived unique features of Japanese scholarship programs, soft power, and program quality. Despite identifying some concerns pertaining to networking between scholars and Japanese employers and the program’s broader attractiveness to those not already interested in Japan, the presentation found that the ABE Initiative has had largely positive impacts in network formation, promoting Japanese business concepts, and soft power, and has been received well by participants.
Umemiya Naoki, Professor, Sophia University, and Kayashima Nobuko
, Senior Research Advisor, the JICA Ogata Research Institute, reported on a follow-up study on the “Empirical Research on Impacts of Study Abroad in Developing Countries
,” a research project by the JICA Ogata Research Institute.
Data from an interview survey with 14 faculty members of Japanese universities who have experience of accepting faculty members from Indonesia as international graduate students were analyzed in this study. Kayashima and Umemiya explained that the following points were found out: a mechanism that facilitates international academic cooperation, which starts from Indonesian faculty members who studied abroad at Japanese universities exists; factors that facilitate this include the situation Japanese universities are placed in, the incentives from the perspectives of research work and education that have an effect on Japanese students as well as external funding and projects, and the human networks centered around the relationships of trust cultivated while studying abroad also play an important role. Comments and questions on topics such as the institutionalization of naturally occurring academic cooperation and the differences between social sciences and natural sciences came from the commentator and the audience. Active discussion followed.
Kayashima Nobuko, Senior Research Advisor, gives a presentation
Kayashima, JICA Ogata Research Institute, and Kawakami Juno, Springer Nature, introduced the book “Impacts of Study Abroad on Higher Education Development
,” published by Springer Nature in August 2024. Parts of the book were shared, such as those on the current state of study-abroad experience of faculty staff at leading universities in Southeast Asia, and the impact of the experience on their activities after studying abroad (teaching, research, community service and organization management). In addition, the two shared their experience from the editing and publishing process of this book. Questions from the floor were not only on research frameworks targeting faculty members but also on open access publishing, indicating a high level of interest among the audience.
In the session “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Interventions: Practices and Outcomes from Rural Development to Educational Support,” Maruyama Takao
, Senior Research Fellow, the JICA Ogata Research Institute, made a presentation on an analytical framework to examine the external validity of evidence, taking examples from the field of educational development. Evidence of impact evaluation has expanded since the 2000s in international development; however, its use in policymaking and practice remains a challenge. The applicability of evidence beyond the sampling frame of the impact evaluation is called the external validity of the evidence, which is a challenge for policymakers and practitioners in using such evidence. Maruyama presented an analytical framework that consists of four simple steps for policymakers and practitioners in this situation, and he discussed the framework with participants.
Imai Natsuko
, Research Officer, reported on the outcome of a narrative review that she conducted on a prior study on the vulnerability, risks and potential that African youths have. From the main constituent of demographic dividend, victims of systemic inequality, to an unstable element of society, African youths have been perceived both positively and negatively to date. Although having great potential as an agency of development, the theoretical and academic discussion on the impact on the environment and society that youths are placed in has not been mainstreamed. This study reviewed theories and policies that have been formulated to date from the perspective of labeling and branding youth. It also categorized elements that provoke youths into becoming violent or prevent this from happening within a framework of factors that push, pull, trigger and hook. Imai and audience members discussed intervention, which falls somewhere between labeling and branding, and how to overcome the paradox of violence empowering youths.
Lisette Robles
, Visiting Fellow JICA Ogata Research Institute, participated in the panel session “Human Security in the Digital Age.” From the academic paper “Leveraging Photovoice as an Empowering Tool for Human Security Research and Practice,” she shared a short study that examined the everyday mobility of female commuters in Metro Manila. Photovoice was used as the main research instrument in this short study, and Robles emphasized the merits of using Photovoice and demonstrated how it operationalizes the human security approach, underscoring the importance of adapting human security as a research theme and a fundamental element in the research process. Furthermore, Photovoice was presented as a method that facilitates a human-centric approach which understands people’s concerns and identifies necessary protection and empowerment. The audience showed great interest in the use of Photovoice in empirical research on human security.
Lee Chiaki recently analyzed official documents produced by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) by applying the framework of human security. ILO and IOM are United Nations agencies working on international labor migration and five documents per organization were analyzed. In this poster session, Lee presented the results and answered questions from approximately 15 researchers and development cooperation practitioners. This study was conducted with the aim to contribute to the research project “International Migration Routes and Route Selection Mechanisms
.”
事業事前評価表(地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力(SATREPS)).国際協力機構 地球環境部 . 防災第一チーム. 1.案件名.国 名: フィリピン共和国.
事業事前評価表(地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力(SATREPS)).国際協力機構 地球環境部 . 防災第一チーム. 1.案件名.国 名: フィリピン共和国.
事業事前評価表(地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力(SATREPS)).国際協力機構 地球環境部 . 防災第一チーム. 1.案件名.国 名: フィリピン共和国.
事業事前評価表(地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力(SATREPS)).国際協力機構 地球環境部 . 防災第一チーム. 1.案件名.国 名: フィリピン共和国.
事業事前評価表(地球規模課題対応国際科学技術協力(SATREPS)).国際協力機構 地球環境部 . 防災第一チーム. 1.案件名.国 名: フィリピン共和国.
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