Wakako Kumakura - Appointed in AY2023
Participant Profile
Wakako Kumakura
Egyptian History, Middle Eastern and Islamic History, Socio-economic History, Environmental History2002: Graduated from the Faculty of Humanities, Ochanomizu University 2004: Completed the Master's Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University 2011: Completed the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University; Ph.D. in Humanities After serving as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), a Project Researcher at the Uehiro Project for the Asian Research Library of the University of Tokyo Library, a Research Assistant at the Organization for Islamic Area Studies at Waseda University, and an Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, she assumed her current position in 2023.
Wakako Kumakura
Egyptian History, Middle Eastern and Islamic History, Socio-economic History, Environmental History2002: Graduated from the Faculty of Humanities, Ochanomizu University 2004: Completed the Master's Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University 2011: Completed the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University; Ph.D. in Humanities After serving as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), a Project Researcher at the Uehiro Project for the Asian Research Library of the University of Tokyo Library, a Research Assistant at the Organization for Islamic Area Studies at Waseda University, and an Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, she assumed her current position in 2023.
Exploring What We Can See from Middle Eastern and Islamic Societies
My Research Theme and How I Came to It
I specialize in the period from the 13th to the 19th centuries, researching the history of Egypt's land tenure system and water management administration. I am often asked why I became interested in such a topic. The initial trigger was my first trip to Egypt during the spring break before my final year of high school. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt I had arrived in a world I had never encountered before, and I wanted to understand, in my own way, the indescribable impact it had on me. Later, at university, I joined a seminar on Islamic history and became engrossed in the socio-economic history of medieval Egypt. Since then, I have been interested in the land tenure system and water management administration, which are the foundations of society, and I research topics such as the nature of rule and subjection and the economic activities of the people in that region.
For more on what sparked my interest in water management administration, please see the link below.
The Appeal and Interest of My Research Theme
"It is not just about learning about Islam itself, but what we learn from Islam that is important." These are the words of my mentor. When you get closer to Middle Eastern and Islamic societies, which you might have dismissed as distant and culturally different, you discover commonalities with your own society and culture. Of course, there are differences, but by asking why they are different, you should be able to learn not only about others but also about yourself. Furthermore, when considering environmental issues, the Middle East is an excellent region for observing how humans attempt to balance environmental concerns with economic activities in the face of limited environmental resources.
Message to Students
Currently, one in four people in the world is Muslim, and it is predicted that the populations of Christians and Muslims will reverse by the end of this century. We see mosques and prayer spaces in our vicinity, and Islamic finance, which adheres to Islamic doctrine, is gradually gaining recognition in Japan as well. Let's learn together about Islam and its society, which will only grow in presence in the future.