Momoko Fukuda - Appointed in AY2017
Participant Profile
Momoko Fukuda
French Literature, FilmGraduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University. Completed the Master's Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo. Completed coursework for the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo. Completed the Doctoral Program at Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). After serving as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Keio University, and Meiji Gakuin University, she assumed her current position in April 2017. *Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.
Momoko Fukuda
French Literature, FilmGraduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University. Completed the Master's Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo. Completed coursework for the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo. Completed the Doctoral Program at Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV). After serving as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Keio University, and Meiji Gakuin University, she assumed her current position in April 2017. *Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.
Broaden Your World by Taking Detours Outside Your Field of Study
My Research Theme and How I Came to It
My research focuses on the 20th-century French author Marcel Proust. In a liberal arts seminar I took in my first year of university (similar to the Independent Research Project Seminars at Hiyoshi), we read "The Fugitive," the ninth volume of the ten-volume Chikuma Bunko edition of "In Search of Lost Time." This volume begins with the protagonist, upon learning that the partner he was living with and about to break up with has run away, becoming obsessed with getting her back. Having started in the middle of the story, I was honestly bewildered, thinking, "What is this?" But it left a strange impression on me, and I read it from the first volume during the summer vacation of the following year.
The Appeal and Interest of My Research Theme
Proust compared "In Search of Lost Time" to a magnifying glass for readers to read themselves, and when I first read it, I was truly struck by the psychological descriptions, which were completely devoid of any sugarcoating. It is a novel that can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways depending on the reader's interests, even when just dipping into excerpts. Therefore, in my literature classes, I hope to introduce Proust from multiple perspectives while also covering related literary works. In my other area of research, film, I am mainly interested in the works of Robert Bresson and Mikio Naruse. When I first saw a Bresson film in college, I was left speechless. However, as I subsequently conducted research and encountered many films, I have gradually become able to articulate what it is that moves me.
A Message to Students
I am impressed that many students entering the Faculty of Economics have clearly established goals for their university life and plans for the future. While you are busy enough just studying your major subjects, some of you may feel that dedicating time to a second foreign language is a frustrating detour. However, the interesting things that become accessible by learning French are limitless. In my classes, I will introduce a lot of music and films from the French-speaking world, so please enjoy learning a new language freely and without pressure.
(Interview conducted in February 2018)
*Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.