Waseda University Podcasts: Rigorous Research, Real Impact

In this episode, Gracia Liu-Farrer, a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Asian Migrations, discusses the evolving landscape of skilled migration in Asia, particularly in Japan. She dives into how skills are socially constructed and perceived, highlighting the need for policy reforms amidst demographic crises. Liu-Farrer also addresses the de-skilling phenomenon faced by skilled migrants and the economic challenges of labor export. Her insights shed light on the role of migration in social identity and the need for recognition of diverse migration experiences.

In this episode, Professor Takashi Kubota (Waseda Law School) sits down to chat with MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey (Waseda Institute for Advanced Study) about the potential of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in Japan using international comparisons. He shares his expert knowledge of the Japanese legal system, highlighting the aspects that obligate Japan’s government to communicate with the public on financial matters, and yet notes how low awareness of CBDC remains a significant obstacle to its introduction. Professor Kubota also weighs in on the question of whether CBDC, or digital currency in general, may potentially replace fiat currency in the future. Link to transcript: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/82942 About the guests: Professor Takashi Kubota Professor Kubota has been teaching at the Waseda Law School since 2004. Prior to that, he worked for eight years at the Bank of Japan and taught as an associate professor at Nagoya University. Professor Kubota has served as an advisor to the government of Japan through his positions on a number of committees, including the Strategic Committee on International Promotion of Japanese Law and the Japanese Law Translation Committee. Professor Kubota was educated at the University of Tokyo (LL.B. in 1990, LL.M. in 1993), Harvard Law School (LL.M. in 1996) and Osaka National University, where he received a Ph. D. in International Public Policy in 2003. His research interests include international finance, international business law, cyber law, and negotiation. MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey Dr. Robert A. Fahey is an assistant professor of political science at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, Japan. His research interests include populism, polarisation, the effects of conspiracy theory belief, and Japanese politics. He is currently working on a series of large-scale surveys aimed at discovering what kinds of conspiracy beliefs are widespread in East Asian countries, and how those beliefs impact the political and social life of those nations.

Assistant Professor Jessy Escande, a scholar from the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, dives into how foreign cultures influence Japanese fantasy games. He discusses the role of cultural brokers like Borges in shaping game motifs and how global folklore enriches Japanese narratives. Escande also explores the definition of 'database fantasy' and highlights iconic examples like Dragon Quest. Additionally, he addresses the importance of cultural sensitivity in game design, particularly around motifs like the Golem, revealing both the challenges and creative opportunities in this vibrant cultural exchange.

Associate Professor Marisa Kellam (Faculty of Political Science and Economics) joins MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey (Waseda Institute for Advanced Study) to talk about their mutual research interests: populism and democracy. The focus of the episode is Professor Kellam’s recently published article, “Who's to Blame for Democratic Backsliding: Populists, Presidents, or Dominant Executives?”, which she wrote together with her former Waseda PhD student. The research was based on data spanning 98 countries, 856 elected executives, and a 50-year period. Listen for tips on how they managed such a large dataset and how it produced a clear answer to the question of who is actually to blame for erosions to democracy that occur during their terms in office.  Link to transcript:  https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/82695 About the Guests: --Associate Professor Marisa Kellam-- Dr. Marisa Kellam is an associate professor at Waseda University, where she researches the quality of democracy in Latin America. Her research links institutional analysis to various governance outcomes in democracies within three lines of inquiry: political parties and coalitional politics; mass electoral behavior and party system change; and democratic accountability and media freedom. After earning a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), Dr. Kellam spent several years as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University. Since moving to Tokyo in 2013, she teaches international and Japanese students in the English-based degree program of Waseda University’s School of Political Science & Economics. During her 2021-2023 sabbatical, she was a visiting scholar at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. --MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey-- Dr. Robert A. Fahey is an assistant professor of political science at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, Japan. His research interests include populism, polarisation, the effects of conspiracy theory belief, and Japanese politics. He is currently working on a series of large-scale surveys aimed at discovering what kinds of conspiracy beliefs are widespread in East Asian countries, and how those beliefs impact the political and social life of those nations.

Waseda University Professor Lara Tienshi Chen (School of International Liberal Studies) serves as the guest expert again for episode two of "Rigorous Research, Real Impact". Professor Chen was raised in Yokohama, Japan and spent more than 30 years of her life categorized as “stateless”. In episode two, she introduces the advocacy work she does through her NPO Stateless Network and talks about moonlighting as a documentary filmmaker. She also explains her very difficult decision to ultimately take up Japanese citizenship. Link to the transcript here: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/82589 About the Guest: Professor Lara Tienshi Chen, School of International Liberal Studies Professor Chen obtained her PhD in International Political Economy from the University of Tsukuba. She went on to conduct research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Harvard University, and the University of Tokyo. She worked for the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka prior to joining Waseda's School of International Liberal Studies in 2013. Professor Chen is also the founder of the NPO Stateless Network and works closely with the student volunteer club Stateless Network Youth.

Waseda University Professor Lara Tienshi Chen (School of International Liberal Studies) serves as the guest expert for the first two episodes of "Rigorous Research, Real Impact". Professor Chen was raised in Yokohama, Japan but spent more than 30 years of her life categorized as “stateless”. In episode one, she shares her personal experience living as a stateless person and recounts how this influenced her decision to research statelessness, culminating in her book “Stateless.” Prof. Chen then draws the line between her life experience and her current work at Waseda, where she continues to positively impact society by advocating for stateless people both in Japan and across the world. Link to the transcript here: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/82406 About the Guest: Professor Lara Tienshi Chen, School of International Liberal Studies Professor Chen obtained her PhD in International Political Economy from the University of Tsukuba. She went on to conduct research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Harvard University, and the University of Tokyo. She worked for the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka prior to joining Waseda's School of International Liberal Studies in 2013. Professor Chen is also the founder of the NPO Stateless Network and works closely with the student volunteer club Stateless Network Youth.