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Human Security and African Area Studies

To be a successful researcher at the graduate level, you need to have, first and foremost, fresh ingredients," and then get yourself a "sharp kitchen knife." By "ingredients," I mean target locations and research themes, and by "kitchen knife," I refer to methodology. You will also need a "recipe" to combine the two; in other words, research questions or hypotheses. In the context of this analogy, it can be said that global studies are an attempt to create one's own special dishes with a healthy dash of personality by gathering ingredients from around the world and integrating Eastern, Western, African and other traditions. Because this is a university (in its way, a type of "universal microcosm"), you should absorb everything both boldly and avidly. To complete a work, your dissertation in this case, which resonates with others, it is necessary that you discover what you are compelled to express. I would like to extend a sincere welcome to those students who have felt this compelling force in their college and/or working lives thus far.
My fields of specialty are human security and African area studies. Human security is an international norm propounded firstly by UNDP in 1994, and then given an impetus to by the release of the Ogata-Sen report in 2003. Combining political studies, development studies and risk studies, this concept is expected to promote inter-disciplinary, more holistic research agenda of securing humanity and humanizing security in every place of the world faced with serious downturns. Africa is a place where human insecurities such as violent conflicts and infectious diseases are rampant, despite the presence of new economic opportunities as well as the renewed prospect for peace and ownership. Students interested in these particular fields are most welcome. I very much look forward to seeing you all at my office or in the classroom.