We will visit sites where social problems and discrimination are occurring, and carefully listen to the life stories of individuals who are socially vulnerable or belong to minority groups (planned locations include temporary housing in Fukushima Prefecture, a Buraku community in Tochigi Prefecture, or a national leprosy sanatorium in the Tohoku region). Through concrete encounters with those directly affected, we aim to deepen our understanding of these issues, cultivate sensitivity to the diverse people that make up our society, and develop the ability to connect social problems to our own lives.

In addition, you will practically learn methods for conducting life story interviews as a form of social research (mindset as a fieldworker / how to ask questions / empathetic understanding of narratives / procedures for creating interview materials / research ethics, etc.). You will also be challenged to analyze "what can be said" from the interview materials you create yourself. We encourage you to discover the fascination and depth of "listening" to stories from others with different backgrounds than your own.