[in Japanese]

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The First Conference of the Society of Kyosei Studies was held on March 21, 2023, at Rissho University in Tokyo. This paper describes the processes leading up to hosting the conference, details of the conference program and the purpose thereof, general principles behind conference management, and points for improvement from the perspective of the three directors who took the lead in conference management. Furthermore, the paper investigates the challenges that arise when viewing the Society’s conference itself as a practice for Kyosei (human coexistence). The greatest significance of this conference was to host the first in-person meeting for many Society members, to build new relationships and start new dialogs. Open topic reports and roundtable discussion categories were arranged for holding research and practice exchanges. Moreover, the latter served to build on the commonality of activities and conceptual relationships that already existed among the members and expand these to a wider circle in the Society of Kyosei Studies. However, with regard to preparation and management, a constant challenge was how to provide a thorough response to diverse needs that were brought up in connection to the Society’s conference with a limited timeframe and resources. This paper reviews this situation from the perspective of Kyosei, which aims to simultaneously achieve both respecting for diversity and ensuring cohesiveness, and it organizes a conceptual approach that will be necessary for future conference management.

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[in Japanese]

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This is the report of a symposium focused on the role of language in realizing a convivial society in Japan. The symposium aimed to underscore the fundamental importance of language which consists of the very basic common property among people living in society. First, three presenters researching Japanese language teaching, Japanese linguistics, and minority studies respectively presented their personal stories or autoethnographies describing their own experiences with “language”. These three different presentations showed the existence of strong linguistic norms that shape the feeling of themselves and their life experiences. Then, two discussants who advocate for the social participation of linguistic minorities offered their insights and engaged in a discussion about the issues raised by the presenters. Some of the notable issues that emerged from the discussions included the questioning of privileges by the very people who enjoy them and the possibility of “communication” without using language that fosters the sense of “communicate”.

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This study discusses the permeation of the term kyōsei shakai (society of coexistence) in Japanese society and analyzes the forms and background of perceptions of this term, with a focus on the respondents' educational experiences. Since 2010, the author has conducted six social awareness surveys with similar survey designs; this paper presents the changes over time in survey items with the same content. The following three items summarize the findings of this paper: First, overall the degree of understanding of the term “society of coexistence” is increasing within the Japanese society. Moreover, understanding this term is associated with a broader perspective of social awareness. Second, a comparison of the survey results in 2019 and 2023, however, showed that the percentage of respondents who knew what the term “society of coexistence” meant declined, whereas the percentage of respondents who had never heard of the term increased. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a gap in social awareness between those who understand the term and those who do not has been widening. Additionally, the social interaction with minorities is declining overall. Third, perceptions of the term “society of coexistence” depend on one’s degree of educational experience. Moreover, considering the associations with respondents’ high school learning and experience, the group that valued intellectual curiosity and exploration showed an increasing awareness of the term “society of coexistence.”

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The Japanese concept of Kyosei —conviviality, symbiosis, and cohabitation—and its practical applications hold the promise of addressing both local and global societal challenges. However, in recent decades, it has become evident that the indiscriminate and vague use of this term can sometimes inadvertently perpetuate issues, disappointing those who face difficulties in their daily lives. Moreover, the scope of entities envisioned as the objects and subjects of Kyosei continues to diversify, intensifying the ongoing debate. In light of these complexities, there is an urgent need to clarify the meaning, characteristics, and evolving trends of Kyosei to foster discussions and practices that acknowledge the concept's nuanced nature. This paper introduces a Multilayered Kyosei Model that bridges the Creative Kyosei Model proposed in prior studies with the Kyosei philosophy that has been under active exploration since the 1980s. First, this paper reaffirms that Kyosei inherently emphasizes the establishment of equal and fair relationships among diverse entities. Second, to illuminate the challenges to achieving such equality and fairness, it revises and illustrates the existing Creative Kyosei Model. Thirdly, it delves into early Kyosei philosophies developed since the 1980s, characterized by a comprehensive perspective that includes the natural environment and non-human　entities, and their discussions on practical methods for realizing Kyosei. Subsequently, these philosophies are categorized into distinct trends: segregation, liberalism, collaboration, and reflective transformation. The paper outlines the theoretical underpinnings and practical challenges associated with each of these theories, elucidating their interrelations within the framework of the Multilayered Kyosei Model. Ultimately, it concludes by highlighting key issues for future discussions concerning the foundational principles of Kyosei studies.

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In recent years, knowledge about “social coexistence” has been gaining greater significance in the guidelines for the course of study in Japan. Consequently, “social coexistence” is gaining character as educational knowledge. Studies have revealed that the perception of “social coexistence” among those entering universities is associated with a preference for the “necessity principle”, which means that those who need resources should get as much as they need. However, the mechanism by which both are related has not been specifically examined and remains a matter of conjecture. Therefore, the research task is to examine the feasibility of this mechanism, known as the “influence of selection,” in which students understand knowledge about of “social coexistence,” choose the “necessity principle,” and ultimately pursue higher education. We surveyed first-year high school students enrolled in local public preparatory schools and analyzed the relationship between their perception of the term “social coexistence” and ideal distribution principles, considering the influence of their academic performance. The results revealed, among other things, that first-year high school students’ perception of the term “social coexistence” is linked to their preference for the “performance principle”, which means that those who have achieved more should get more. The results are significant as they reject the influence of selection for mechanisms related to how the perception of “social coexistence” is related to a preference for the “necessity principle” as the ideal distribution principle. Furthermore, it should be noted that Japan is an academically oriented society that values education to the extent that even the perception of “social coexistence” could be considered a reflection of academic performance.

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The purpose of this paper is to critically reexamine the existing concept of Kyosei from the standpoint of the philosophy of Kyosei, assuming the Kyosei among people, and to redefine what better Kyosei is. In doing so, this paper is linked to the anti-discrimination lineage that was one of the motives of the idea of Kyosei, and from this perspective, the definition of Kyosei will be reexamined. Kyosei was a problematic proposition from the minority to the majority. There are two typical definitions of Kyosei. First, Kyosei is the renewal of social categories, and second, it is the mutual recognition of differences and mutual transformation toward the establishment of equal relationships. From an anti-discrimination perspective, however, it is rather discriminatory to maintain and renew the first social category itself, and to recognize and understand others without reducing them to social categories is required in the name of Kyosei. Referring to the findings of anthropology, educational philosophy, and political sociology, one can recognize others without using social categories. Kyosei is oriented toward individual-individual relationships. As for the second definition, it can be said that demanding not only the majority but also the minority to change is contrary to the original intention of Kyosei, which is objection by the minority. It is the majority that should change, not the minority. Based on the above, this paper finally redefines Kyosei as follows. Kyosei means that the majority is transformed by the objection of the minority who demands that others not be reduced to social categories, and that the majority ceases to reduce others to social categories even in the absence of an objection. Of course, this Kyosei is never complete. Constant efforts must be made toward this end.

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Since independence, school arson has been a constant problem in Kenya. Violence that occurs in schools, such as corporal punishment and bullying, is a common issue worldwide. In the case of Kenya, the peculiarity of arson is added to this. This study attempts to draw attention to such peculiarities, organize and analyze school arson cases that have occurred in Kenyan secondary schools, and identify the characteristics and causes of these arson cases. The results can be summarized in three points. First, arson is more likely to occur when more than a certain number of students share a claim to the school; second, although the student dormitories are set on fire, the risk of killing or injuring students is intentionally reduced; and third, there is a fear that the students' own rights and place in the school will be threatened behind the arson. Based on the above, this paper has led to the conclusion that one of the factors that trigger school arson may be the symbolic apparatus of modernity, such as closure and authority associated with school education. Therefore, rather than viewing the Kenyan school arson cases as being caused by individual acts of violence by young people or indiscipline among students, it is more appropriate to view them as resistance against closed spaces such as boarding schools and authoritarianism, or as social resistance against the modern school system.

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