Contemporary Japanese Sociology

Japanese sociology emerged by inculcating concepts from European and American sociology.

However, it evolved in its own way and has tried to theorize and empirically understand human experiences.

Therefore, its accumulated knowledge and wisdom is expected to provide valuable lessons to the world at large. Contemporary Japanese Sociology aims at showcasing what Japanese sociology has attained and its expected future course.

The editors of this unique collection have brought together the best and most challenging contributions in the field. The title is organized into two parts. The first part deals with empirical works. It focuses on social inequality in the global society—inequalities in education, occupation, income, family formation—and cultural activities in Japan, Asia, and the world.

Japanese sociology has produced significant contributions based on theory-driven, rigorous empirical research. The second part deals with theoretical developments.

It covers mathematical and rational choice sociology, two research streams that have dramatically developed in Japan.

This part discusses problems of social dilemmas, social networks, and relative deprivation. Emphasis has been placed on ensuring the articles are cutting-edge in each field, to advance the understanding of fundamental social processes.

The volumes aim to bridge Japanese sociology with sociology in the rest of the world, thereby broadening the sociological horizon. This will be published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Japanese Association for Mathematical Sociology.