Achievements and Future Challenges in Japan’s Sociology of Education: Sociologization, Pedagogization, and Resociologization

Abstract

When considering the trends in the Japanese sociology of education over the 70 years since the end of World War II, there have been several significant changes in the nature and social position of the sociology of education within the academic history of expansion and development. These changes can be further understood by focusing on (1) the relationship between the sociology of education in Japan and research trends in Western sociology, (2) the relationship between the sociology of education and pedagogy in Japan, and (3) the relationship between the sociology of education and changes in Japanese society itself. This chapter focuses on these three relationships to provide an overview of the characteristics and the future direction of postwar Japanese sociology of education. It is evident that it lacks transmission of research results to other countries. So, the future task for Japanese researchers in the sociology of education is to demonstrate the significance of their research on Japanese education to international sociology of education markets.