Yusaku Matsuzawa - Awarded in 2023
Participant Profile
Yusaku Matsuzawa
Japanese Social History1999: Graduated from the Faculty of Letters, The University of Tokyo 2002: Withdrew from the Doctoral Programs in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo 2002: Research Assistant, Historiographical Institute, The University of Tokyo; later promoted to Assistant Professor 2009: Ph.D. in Literature [Ph.D. (Literature)], The University of Tokyo 2011: Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Senshu University 2014: Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Keio University 2020–present: Current position
Yusaku Matsuzawa
Japanese Social History1999: Graduated from the Faculty of Letters, The University of Tokyo 2002: Withdrew from the Doctoral Programs in the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo 2002: Research Assistant, Historiographical Institute, The University of Tokyo; later promoted to Assistant Professor 2009: Ph.D. in Literature [Ph.D. (Literature)], The University of Tokyo 2011: Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Senshu University 2014: Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Keio University 2020–present: Current position
Creating a "Second Album" to Discuss the Relationship Between Historical Research and the Present
Research Theme and How I Came to It
The book that received the award, "Nihon Kindai Sonraku no Kigen" (The Origin of the Modern Japanese Village) (Iwanami Shoten, 2022), is my second research monograph. My first was "Meiji Chihō Jichi Taisei no Kigen" (The Origin of the Meiji Local Government System) (University of Tokyo Press, 2009), which was my doctoral dissertation. Both deal with a related theme, examining how the connections between people in villages changed from the Edo period to the Meiji period.
The Appeal and Fascination of the Research Theme
Over the past 13 years, I have written several books for a general audience, such as paperbacks and selected editions, as well as numerous articles for specialists. This book was created by rewriting several articles on related themes to ensure logical consistency and carefully considering their arrangement. This may not be as consciously recognized today, as music is often listened to on streaming services, but if we use a CD analogy, each article is a "single," and a research monograph is an "album." In that sense, I consider this book my "second album."
Individual articles are unlikely to be read even by fellow researchers unless their specializations closely overlap. However, when compiled into a book, it clearly expresses "what this person is thinking and why they are conducting this research," making it accessible even to those in slightly different fields. This is because even when researching Meiji-era Japan, it becomes easier to convey what questions or anxieties I have about contemporary society that motivate this research. In my case, for example, I might compare the nature of mutual surveillance in Meiji-era villages with our society, which is saturated with surveillance cameras. There is a certain fascination in thinking about these broader connections when conceptualizing a book.
Message to Students
I believe that my kind of research would probably not be considered "economics" if one defines "economics" in a very narrow sense. However, I believe a key feature of the Faculty of Economics at Keio University is that it offers a curriculum that encourages students to consider the nature of society comprehensively, taking into account the entirety of human activity. I hope that you will always keep your eyes open to the wonder of the social structures that individuals create, whether intentionally or unintentionally.