Postgraduate Researchers
Mika Obara
| Email m.obara@lboro.ac.uk Dept. of Politics, History and |
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Doctoral Research
Title: Two-Way Norm Diffusion between the EU and Japan: The Impacts and Limits to Act as Normative Power Abroad
Whilst the influence of the US on Japan has been widely documented and said to be overwhelming, the equally important relationship with the EU has been underwritten and consequently underanalysed. It is therefore necessary to address this fundamental gap in the literature capturing the rich diversity and fluidity of social and institutional relationships between the EU and Japan. My thesis aims to look at the import and export of social/political/business norms between these two actors assessing how Japan perceives the EU in the process. Regarding the norm diffusion from the EU to Japan, I will examine if the EU has a capability to influence or even modify Japanese culture of justice through the example of the death penalty. Currently, the EU has not been particularly successful in threatening Japan for its observer status at the Council of Europe for retaining the death penalty. In my hypothesis, this is because Japan is negotiating with several bi-lateral issues in mind such as the cooperation in trade/economic field or in technological field such as in the Galileo project. With regard to the one from Japan to the EU, I will observe it at the business community level through the example of the export of a set of unique business management norms: the Toyota Way. Examining the characteristics and some drawbacks to be applied in other companies, which is often overlooked, I will examine the societal impact of such Japanese business norm in Europe. Given a complex web of interaction both in the EU and Japan that is comprised of the government/bureaucrats, the business community, and the NGOs/civil society, I believe that external norm diffusion phenomenon can be observed by looking at these three actors of different levels comprehensively.
Teaching
November 2009 -
Personal Tutor in Political Analysis, Loughborough University
(I am teaching undergraduate students in the department of Politics, History and International Relations from November 2009. I will provide a basic understanding of qualitative/quantitative analysis and SPSS in this course.)
Academic Background
2008- PhD, Loughborough University, UK
2006-2007 MSc, European and International Studies, Loughborough
University, UK
2002-2006 BA, International Studies, International Christian University,
Tokyo, Japan
Relevant Activities
February 2008 - March 2008
Co-authored Paper on US-Japan-China Partnership from the Perspective of the EU, Japan Centre for International Exchange (JCIE)
(I worked for a Japanese think tank, Japan Centre for International Exchange (JCIE) in Tokyo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked JCIE for the preparation of paper on US-Japan-China Partnership and I was in charge of one chapter from the perspective of the EU.)
May 2006 – June 2006
Partner Company Staff, World Economic Forum
(I completed an internship for a preparation of the regional World Economic Forum (WEF) held on 15 – 16 June in Tokyo. I worked as a partner company staff for a month under the leadership of Swiss management and was responsible for the whole process of publishing a conference programme. I also worked as a translator for a Swiss senior editor.)
Languages
Japanese (native)
English (fluent)
French (intermediate)
Spanish (basic)