Eriko Oshima - Appointed in AY2023
Participant Profile
Eriko Oshima
French Politics, International Relations2007: Graduated from the Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Keio University, and joined a securities company. 2011: Completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University. 2017: Completed the Doctoral Programs at the Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University, and earned a PhD in Political Science. After serving as an assistant at the Faculty of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University and a lecturer at the Faculty of Global and Media Studies at Kinjo Gakuin University, she assumed her current position in 2023.
Eriko Oshima
French Politics, International Relations2007: Graduated from the Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Keio University, and joined a securities company. 2011: Completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University. 2017: Completed the Doctoral Programs at the Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University, and earned a PhD in Political Science. After serving as an assistant at the Faculty of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University and a lecturer at the Faculty of Global and Media Studies at Kinjo Gakuin University, she assumed her current position in 2023.
What Emerges from Political Contention
My Research Theme and How I Encountered It
Before entering university, I lived for long periods in Belgium and France in addition to Japan. In Belgium, Dutch and German are official languages besides French, and France is home to immigrants and their descendants from various backgrounds. I found this society, with its interwoven, diverse cultures, to be rich and enjoyable. However, witnessing the conflict between French and Dutch speakers in Belgium and the popularity of xenophobic political parties in France, I realized, even as a child, that not everyone felt the same way. These experiences sparked my interest in cultural institutions and, more broadly, in the phenomena of exclusion and discrimination against others.
Specifically, in the Department of Law, I focused on the trial of Maurice Papon, who was tried under French domestic law for crimes against humanity for his complicity in the persecution of Jews. In my master's program, where I changed my major to political science, I addressed the rise of far-right political parties in France, and in my Doctoral Programs, I examined the memory of Algeria's colonial rule and war of independence within French politics. Currently, I am researching the discourse surrounding immigrants in France.
The Appeal and Fascination of My Research Theme
Politicians in France, the "homeland of human rights," often invoke "universalism" to bolster their arguments. However, if you pause to consider whether these claims are truly universal, you often find that they are not; rather, they are distinctly French and local in their thinking. I believe the fascination of studying French politics lies in examining these very contradictions within French society and the contention among various forces striving to overcome challenges despite these contradictions, which can provide hints for a more just society.
A Message to Students
While you are at university, I hope you will explore a wide variety of themes and fields. In the process, you will discover not only what you like and enjoy but also what you dislike and are not good at. While it is not always advisable to avoid things you dislike or to reinforce your sense of weakness, knowing what you dislike and are not good at can be an opportunity to know yourself better. Please use your time at university as a means to get to know yourself.