How did the unemployment risk in the labor market change after the collapse of the bubble economy, while both globalization and the economic slump progressed? In this paper we answer this question by analyzing the determinants of unemployment risk. Unemployment is defined as an employee’s involuntary job-shift for reasons such as bankruptcy, business closure, and dismissal.　This paper focuses on two topics: the effect of the expansion of non-standard jobs,and the change of determinants. First, we examine whether the rise of unemployment risk after the collapse of the bubble economy was influenced by the expansion of non-standard jobs. Second, we investigate the changes in the determinants of unemployment risk such as the position in the labor market, education, and occupation. Concretely, this paper verifies three hypotheses: universalization of risk, stratification of risk, and stability of the determinants.　We analyze the determinants of unemployment risk by using the data of Social Stratification and Social Mobility (SSM) (2005). The results are the following. First, concerning the rise of unemployment risk after the collapse of the bubble economy, the direct effect of the period was strong, but the mediation effect of the expansion of non-standard jobs was weak. Second, though the unemployment risk increased after the collapse of the bubble economy, there was no change in the tendency that employees in small firms and in non-standard jobs are exposed to unemployment risk.

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　The objective of this paper is to study intentional communities from asocially composed point of view by considering their contemporary significance and searching for new movement towards their reinterpretation. “Intentional community” is an inclusive term for alternative and utopian living groups intentionally formed as small groups to share a common place and a common vision.　Moreover, regarding intentional communities (hereinafter referred to as ICs) (hereinafter referred to as ICs) in Japan, analyses were made based on fieldwork that was carried out in more than seven Japanese communities from 2006 to 2009; research references and secondary data from the 1960s and 1970s; interviews with people and members who had aleading role in the community movement; and other sources. In this paper the following is mainly studied:　First of all, this study accepts the traditional interpretation of sociology concerning communities and their sociological contributions. Despite these predefined boundaries, a new theory was developed to gain a better perspective and to view such communities as something that can be constructed or created. To achieve this objective, some recently presented theories on communities are reviewed.　Secondly, this study focuses on clarifying some commonly accepted concepts and historical views of ICs because there has been no previous research, nor academic articles, on ICs in Japan. Moreover, it was found from the collected secondary data that the term “Intentional Community” was already being used by Japanese community movement groups in the 1970s from the collected secondary data.　Thirdly, this study was carried out to compare the current trends of ICs in Japan after the 1990s with communities that have existed since the 1960s. Close attention is also paid to the changes in the economic system of communities and communal meals, and how the new types of intimate sphere were expanded to the subsequent creation of communities as the public place.　Lastly, this study suggests new directions for the development of research on communities based on the information illustrated in this paper, such as cooperation between ICs and the mainstream, an inclination toward ecology, diversification of the structure and form of community, and reconstruction of the new intimate sphere leading to the public sphere.

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　This paper aims to clarify the relationship between social background and school track in Japanese upper secondary schools. In Japan, the decision on which high school to enter is crucial, because it limits the opportunities for future status attainment. Past literature has clarified the strong relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and the tracking structure of upper secondary schools. However, those studies have suffered from severe limitations: data not randomly sampled; a small number of schools; and student grades so diverse that they could not distinguish through-put effect.　In this paper, we analyze the relationship between SES and the tracking structure using the data called Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003, a study conducted by OECD every 3 years since 2000, which randomly samples 15 year old students in Japan by both school level and student level. This random-sample data structure justifies the use of hierarchical linear modeling to examine the effect of student background variables and school level variables independently.　The main findings can be summarized as follows: 1) The SES effect on scholastic achievement was strong, but it was due to the large inter-school difference. 2) Educational expectation was determined by school rank and school type independently at the school level, and a positive SES effect existed as an intra-school effect controlling scholastic achievement. 3) Effects have been found of cross-level interaction between school track and SES on educational expectation. This means that the high-SES students can retain their educational expectation even if they have been relegated to an inferior school track.

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　This paper aims to clarify the formation and characteristics of new Internet-related　self-help activities for people who suffer from mental illnesses.　First, these activities are not organized by existing self-help groups outside the　Internet; and secondly, the relationship between the participants is very fluid. The　participants use the Internet as a tool to contact each other without having recourse to　any sort of intermediary services such as medical and welfare agencies. They themselves　select people with whom to talk, and decide what to do at their own discretion. When　starting such activities, it may happen that they do not trust each other at first, because　their communication starts with anonymous Internet BBS on which verbal abuse and　aspersions are posted frequently. But if they manage to hit it off with other people at　offline meetings planned online anonymously, it becomes a precious experience for　them in creating new intimate relationships that - among other things - might prevent　the participants from committing suicide. They encourage each other, relieve their　loneliness, and help each other to live with, and to manage, their illnesses. However,if these intimate relationships develop into a fixed relationship, then that may create　a greater risk of trouble. In such cases, people tend to return to anonymous online　communications as a sort of risk aversion. On the other hand, this also gives them　another chance for precious experiences in finding a kindred spirit among other　participants. Such activities create opportunities for socially vulnerable people to　maintain their self-identity as a kind of reflexive project such as is imposed on all people in individualized societies, along with a chance for risk aversion among peer helpers.　In this way, they use the Internet to enhance their discretionary power to continue self-help activities.

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　This paper examines ‘backwardness’, which has attracted attention from researchers who focus on comparative theory of welfare states in East Asian countries. Its aim is to clarify the meaning of ‘backwardness’ by examining the legislative processes of anti-discrimination legislation in Hong Kong and Korea.　From the comparison of the legislative processes, we find ‘singularity/pluralism of opinion by disabled people’ and ‘opportunities for indirect/direct statement by disabled people.’ This can explain the enlarged process of participation by disabled people in the United Nations. The opportunities for discussion between the United Nations and civilian social organizations were enlarged in 1996. From other documents, it can be recognized that the United Nations values its partnership with these organizations and tries to arrange for a platform for discussions. According to this principle, when the discussion of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities began in 2001, disabled organizations participated in ad hoc committees and played a major role. Subsequently this change in the international environment has empowered disabled people. In Korea, disabled people participated in the discussion preceding the enactment of anti-discrimination legislation, which resulted in ‘pluralism of opinion by disabled people’ and ‘opportunities for direct statement by disabled people’.　In this paper, ‘backwardness’ is not related solely to international economic circumstances. ‘Backwardness’ is also important because it accompanies ‘change in the international environment and the emergence of an international civilian society’. It explains the difference between the legislative processes of Hong Kong and Korea. This paper may contribute to future theory by including the experiences of East Asia after the theory of ‘welfare regime’.

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