Dr Hiroaki Richard Watanabe
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BA (Tokyo), MA (Yale), D.Phil. (Oxford) |
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Email: h.watanabe@sheffield.ac.uk |
ProfileDr. Watanabe joined the School of East Asian Studies as a Lecturer in the Spring Term 2010. He is a specialist of Japanese/comparative political economy and the international relations of East Asia, and has conducted research on comparative politics of labour market deregulation and the political economy of poverty in contemporary Japan. Before he moved to academia, he spent three years as a legal analyst in a multinational Japanese trading company. He is interested in learning different languages and cultures and travelled to more than 60 countries (in addition to living in the United States, Australia, Italy and Japan). TeachingDr. Watanabe taught a number of modules in the academic years 2010-2012 and will teach the following modules in the academic year 2012-2013: EAS 138 Japanese History EAS 138 Japanese History is a survey course of Japanese history covering the period from ancient until modern time. Level-1 students are assessed only with an essay so that they are able to focus on the analysis of a time period of their choice (ancient, medieval, early modern and modern) in addition to learning major political and socio-economic issues in a longer time period. EAS 359 Work and Society in Japan examines the political economy of Japan in the areas of work and employment (human resources management) and the prominent social issues in contemporary Japan. EAS 236/ 6236 Postwar Japanese Politics is a new module and focuses on Japanese political economy after WWII. Level-2, Level-3 and taught postgraduate students are assessed with both an essay and a formal exam. Teaching PhilosophyMy main teaching philosophy is that teaching should be student-centred and oriented. Based on this philosophy, I aim to avoid my lecture being mere ‘information transmission’ and increase interaction with students in not only seminars but also lectures by using several teaching methods. This provides students with greater opportunities to engage in both seminars and lectures. General learning outcomes related to students’ skill acquisition include: identification of major issues from a comparative and historical perspective; critical and systematic analysis by applying relevant theoretical and analytical concepts; use of relevant evidence to support arguments, including proper referencing and citations; and presentation of coherent arguments. Module curriculums are designed in light of students’ achievement of these learning outcomes (‘constructive alignment’) and assignments are assessed based on the criteria related to these learning outcomes. Feedback is used for the purpose of formative assessment and a few sessions are devoted to essay preparation aimed at students’ enhancement of their critical analytical skills. |
Research InterestsDr. Watanabe’s general research interests include Japanese/comparative political economy and the international relations of East Asia. Building upon his doctoral research about Japanese politics of labour market deregulation in comparison to the Italian case, his current research examines the issues of poverty and economic inequality in Japan since the 1990s. His research analyses public policies related to labour market and social security that contributed to the recent increase in poverty and inequality in Japan from a comparative perspective. Through this research, he aims to contribute to the literature of convergence/diversity in economic and social policies among capitalist economies under globalisation (including the varieties of capitalism literature). He is also interested in examining the political economy of China and Japan in the integration of East Asian economy against a background of globalisation. |
PublicationsJournal Articles‘Why and how did Japan finally change its ways? The politics of Japanese labour-market deregulation since the 1990s’, Japan Forum, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2012, pp. 23-50. ‘Japanese politics under the Hatoyama administration’, Il Politico, Vol. 62, No.2, 2011, pp.180-182. ‘Politics of labour market deregulation in Italy and Japan since the 1990s’, Bulletin of Comparative Labour Relations, Vol. 65, 2008, pp.255-274. |
