Teaching/ Advising

Teaching

I have solo-taught a seminar on International Politics and have co-taught/ assisted several seminars and classes at the University of Tokyo (undergraduate level).

My teaching philosophy consists of three pillars;

1. To convey research as a living "dialogue" among scholars

2. To deepen the students' knowledge on the topic, theory and methods relevant to the class

3. To have my students engage in actual research

According to the comments from my students from the solo-taught seminar, my teaching shows strengths in;

1. Introducing class materials in an intellectually stimulating manner

2. Facilitating discussions in an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere

2. Mentoring, grading and commenting on the students' essays in an attentive manner

Advising

I have been tutoring foreign students on both research and Japanese skills at the University of Tokyo (graduate level). Below are some tips I have with regards to research especially in the field of International Relations.

Tips for Potential Advisees

Before you reach out for advice,
1. Create a research plan that will eventually tie into a structured paper that contains the following;

(1) research purpose and puzzle,
(2) research question,
(3) literature review (that shows your academic contribution),
(4) research design (methodology, reason for case selection, definition of terms, scope condition),
(5) theory/ framework,
(6) empirical analysis, and
(7) conclusion (=summary, implication, limitations of your research and prospects for future studies).

How you arrange (5) and (6) depends on your sub-discipline and identity as a scholar, but it is essential to convey what academic contributions you are making.

2. As the advisees consult me about their research, they should pay attention to the following;
(1) even deductively structured research is conducted in a circulatory manner (i.e., trial and error leads to "thick" research),
(2) feasibility (i.e., whether they can carry out research) is important, and
(3) the ability to present ongoing work/consult others within a given timeframe takes practice.