Fellows (2nd-term)

Biography

Hajime Akiyama is an Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Tsukuba. He graduated from International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo, and he received Bachelar of Arts, Master of Arts in Peace Studies and Doctor of Philosophy from ICU. He researched as a Research Fellow of Japan Socurty for the Promotion of Science. He received a Fellowship under the “Young Researchers Exchange Programme between Japan and Switzerland 2016” and stayed at the University of Lausanne as a Visiting Researcher. He served College of International Relations of Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, as a Lecturer. Since 2020, he is in the current position. He received the Award of Brilliance of the 29th Eisaku Sato Essay Contest. He was selected as the BEST FACULTY MEMBER of the University of Tsukuba in AY 2022.

Research Outline

Hajime Akiyama specialises in peace studies, constitutional law, international law and international organisations. He focuses on topics such as statelessness, COVID-19 and the Anthropocene to examine peace from international and interdisciplinary perspectives. First, he researches statelessness from perspectives of municipal law, international law and international organisations. He clarified the history and current status of responses to statelessness in international law and Japanese law. He also critically analysed the United Nations’ practice to deal with statelessness. Furthermore, he clarified the characteristics of Japanese nationality from a historical perspective. Through research on statelessness, he attempts to critically examine the role of nationality in the era of globalisation. Second, he researches the subject of COVID-19. He focuses on the right to life and examines the interpretation of the Japanese Constitution to cope with a pandemic. He also examines the social changes and continuity caused by COVID-19 with interdisciplinary perspectives and develops a vision of a post-COVID-19 society. Third, he researches the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene refers to the era in which human activities have a decisive impact on the Earth. Hajime is conducting interdisciplinary research with not only social sciences but also humanities and natural sciences. He is particularly interested in the vision for a “post-Antropocene” to overcome environmental and related problems in the Anthropocene. Through the above-mentioned researches, he aims to critically understand peace and conduct research that contributes to the realisation of peace.

What is my goal as a transborder researcher?

人はボーダー（境界）を作り、自らの領域を作ることで安心しようとする。しかし一つの領域だけでは山積する複雑すぎる世界の課題を解決できないと悟った時、私たちはボーダーを越える必要性に気付く。ボーダーを越えれば知らないことばかり、不安ばかりだ。自らの無知を知り、多くの人の助けを借りながら、どこかに答えがあると信じつつ悩み問い続けなければならない。その先に、自らが果たせる、でも自らしか果たせない、小さく、ゆえに大きな役割が見えてくるはず。私が目指すのはボーダーの先を信じ、ボーダーを越えながら問い続けられる人である。

Human creates borders, and borders create our own area. By having our own area, we try to feel secure. But when we notice that our area alone cannot solve many issues in this complicated world, we realise the need to cross borders. When we cross borders, there are many things that we do not know. We become just anxious. We need to know our ignorance, and with the help of many others, we must continue to ask many people and ourselves with anxiety, believing that there must be answers somewhere. After such anxiety, we must be able to find the small but significant role that only you can play. My goal is to be a person who continues to ask questions while crossing borders, believing that answers must be beyond the borders.