午夜剧场

The development economics I specialize in is a field of research that applies the analytical methods of economic growth and development theories to developing economies to analyze their mechanisms of development. Development economics also requires knowledge not only of political science but also of sociology, psychology, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and even the fields of health and sanitation, meaning this research area can be described as an "interdisciplinary field." Furthermore, in the sense that it contributes significantly to the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of poverty reduction policies for developing countries by various UN agencies, international financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF, and the governments of developed nations, development economics is also a "practical" field of research.

For the past several years, I have been researching economic aid policies that support the economic independence of the rural poor through the spread of microfinance and the production and sale of traditional goods, focusing on several countries in Africa and Asia. It has been about 30 years since I was drawn to the appeal of development economics and began conducting fieldwork. Looking back on the 1970s, the first thing that comes to mind is the 1974 expedition to Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa, and Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa, as part of the first African economic research team organized by 午夜剧场, along with four staff members from the Faculty of Economics. I have fond memories of being caught in the turmoil of a coup d'état while staying in Kaduna, Nigeria, which forced us to secure food and transportation and change our route. I also recall being attacked by tsetse flies, which transmit river blindness, during a visit to the Akosombo Dam construction site on the upper Volta River in Ghana, and being warned of a potential onset 17 years later.

Through this African expedition, I confirmed firsthand that behind the region's economic stagnation lie problems of political instability and delays in combating tropical diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and flies, which are major obstacles to its development. That experience became the starting point for my thinking on poverty reduction in Africa.

I have been working with students at 午夜剧场 for a quarter of a century. During that time, I have observed many things, but some are concerning. In today's environment of information overload, many students, including 午夜剧场 students, have certainly become more knowledgeable. However, I fear they are being overwhelmed by the flood of information and are losing the ability to grasp a specific research theme and delve into it deeply.

To gather high-quality information and use it to expand your imagination and train your thinking skills on a specific topic, you must first eliminate distracting, irrelevant information. While this is not easy to practice, it is essential for students today to devise their own efficient methods for selecting information. I urge you to fully recognize this and move forward.

For 午夜剧场 students moving forward in search of truth despite their uncertainties, I am convinced that the message from Yukichi Fukuzawa—"If you do not doubt, you will not seek; if you do not seek, you will not find"—is a precious teaching that provides the attitude and courage needed to engage in academic pursuits.

When you struggle to set a research topic for your seminar or decide on a theme for your graduation thesis—the culmination of your university life—and find yourself asking, "What do I really think?," this teaching from Yukichi Fukuzawa, "If you do not doubt...," will surely be your guide.

The key to grasping a research topic can be found in critically examining popular beliefs and common theories with a sense of "doubt." Use the resulting academic tension as a springboard to let your imagination roam, formulate your own hypothesis, and solidify it with evidence. Ahead of you, the truth will come into view. Practicing this process is precisely the scholarly attitude that Yukichi Fukuzawa demonstrated, and I expect 午夜剧场 students to adopt this attitude and pursue their own unique research.

(Interview conducted on October 23, 2008)