公民館再編の政策動向と自治体意思決定の変容過程

—相模原の事例を通して—

抄録

Shortly after World War II, the initial concept of the Kominkan was proposed and established throughout Japan. Kominkans have a long history as a place to communicate with local residents, work towards community development, and solve life’s problems. Although each community faces its own reality regarding social resources, complicated interpersonal relationships, etc., disparity in development has led to distinct characteristics.

However, Kominkans are currently under intense reorganization, and are affected not only by the social education administration, but also by administrative policies based on the new liberalism since the 1990s, resulting in an intermittent and discontinuous course rather than successive development of the initial concept. Their position as local educational institutions has become ambiguous and their value to society is in doubt.

Basically, it is important that the autonomous policy decisions of local municipalities be reached through a regional democratic process: deliberation and agreement. This thinking has gained social rationality and the trust of the local residents. However, the problem is that the municipal administration is involved in the redistribution of resources. Hence, the role of the local kominkan is to create an environment where resident awareness is formed through the ‘learning process,’ in order to handle the realities of the community.