2019 Volume 48 Pages 5-18
Sociological studies have identified new forms of discrimination over time and developed new theories to analyze them. Recently, several Japanese sociologists made a significant theoretical development, i.e., the shift of the analytical focus of discrimination from the exclusion of specific groups to the exclusion from the majority. This theoretical shift has extended the range of discrimination studies in two directions. On one hand, it covers the exclusion of not only minority groups but also individuals (e.g. bullying). On the other, it covers not only direct attacks but also the discriminatory effects of apparently harmless actions not directed at discriminated persons. This paper traces this theoretical extension in the sociological study of discrimination. Thereon, I construct a theoretical framework of social interaction that can systematically locate the various factors of discrimination and the relationships between them.
