Research Fellow

Japan

Professor SHIGA Hiroaki 

E-mail: shiga-hiroaki-mx@ynu.ac.jp

Professor SHIGA Hiroaki has been teaching in Graduate School of International Social Science, Yokohama National University. He is a visiting Research Fellow in Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development. Professor Hiroaki completed his Bachelor of Law from University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law.

Professor SHIGA Hiroaki

Professor SHIGA Hiroaki has been teaching in Graduate School of International Social Science, Yokohama National University. He is a visiting Research Fellow in Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development. Professor Hiroaki completed his Bachelor of Law from University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law. He obtained his Master of International Affairs from School of International and Public Affairs and appeared in W. Averell Harriman Institute for the Advanced Study of the Soviet Union in Columbia University. He holds significant academic association with Japan Association for International Relations, Japan Society for International Development and Japanese Political Science Association. Professor Hiroaki carries a wide diverse career background reflecting his significant contributions to the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund , Ministry of Finance of Japan, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Saitama University (Part-time lecturer, 2009-2014), Hosei University (Part-time lecturer, 2017-present), Aoyama-Gakuin University (Part-time lecturer, 2016-present), International University of Japan (Part-time lecturer, 2018-present) and University of Shizuoka (Part-time lecturer, 2019-2020). He holds a profound research interest in Political Science (development and politics, law and development, development cooperation policies) and Regional Studies of the Former Soviet Union & Eastern Europe. The sagacious appearances of Professor Hiroaki can be realized through his several significant publications of book chapters (4) and articles (11) in various renowned journals.

Thailand

Dr. Saikaew Thipakorn

: saikaew.t@chula.ac.th

Dr. Saikaew Thipakorn is the former director, Japan-ASEAN Studies Centre, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University and deputy director at the Southeast Asian Studies Program, Chulalongkorn University. She earned her PhD in Thai Studies from the Department of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.

Dr. Saikaew Thipakorn

Dr. Saikaew Thipakorn is the former director, Japan-ASEAN Studies Centre, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University and deputy director at the Southeast Asian Studies Program, Chulalongkorn University. She earned her PhD in Thai Studies from the Department of Arts, Chulalongkorn University. Dr Thipakorn’s background is international relations with a specialisation in Japan-Thailand relations. Dr. Thipakorn’s current research is on different aspects of cultural relations between Japan and ASEAN countries. She is also a guest lecturer in many academic institutions in Thailand.

India

Prof. Srabani Roy Choudhuri(Ph.D)

E-mail: sroyc2@gmail.com

Dr. Srabani Roy Choudhury is a Senior Fellow of the Pan-Asia Research Institute (PARI). She is a Professor in Japanese Studies Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her association with Japan began with Japan Foundation Fellowship 1996-1997. ..

Prof. Sraboni Roy Choudhuri (Ph.D)

Dr. Srabani Roy Choudhury is a Professor in Japanese Studies Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her association with Japan began with Japan Foundation Fellowship 1996-1997. She has been on visiting scholar programme to Keizai Koho Centre, Ministry of Economics and Industry, Japan, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance, Japan, Kobe University, Nagoya University and Keio University. Her recent publications are centered on economic diplomacy between Japan and India with reference to Japanese business. In light of the power dynamics in Indo-Pacific region, her interest looks at India- Japan relations in this perspective. She has to her credit four edited volumes Japan- SAARC Partnership: A Way Ahead (2014) and India-Japan Relations @ 70: Building Beyond Bilateral (2022). The Indo-Pacific Theatre: Strategic Visions and Frameworks (2022), Japan and Its Partners in the Indo-Pacific: Engagements and Alignment (2023).

Philippine

Dr. Karl lan Uy CHENG CHUA

E-mail: kchengchua@gmail.com

Dr. Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua received his PhD in Social Sciences from Hitotsubashi University and his Masters in Japanese Studies from the National University of Singapore. He was Director of the of the Japanese Studies of Ateneo de Manila University. Dr. Cheng Chua is the part of the editorial board of the East Asia..

Dr. Karl lan Uy CHENG CHUA

Dr. Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua received his PhD in Social Sciences from Hitotsubashi University and his Masters in Japanese Studies from the National University of Singapore. He was Director of the of the Japanese Studies of Ateneo de Manila University. Dr Cheng Chua is the part of the editorial board of the East Asia Journal for Popular Culture and Social Science Diliman. He is the part of advisory board of the DeGruyter series “Comic Studies – Aesthetics, Histories and Practices”. He holds a steering committee position for the Japanese Associations of the South-Southeast Asia (JSA-ASEAN). Dr Cheng Chua is currently a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University.

Indonesia

Dr. Elisa Carolina Marion

Email: emarion@binus.edu

Dr. Elisa Carolina Marion, SS, MSi, is the dean of the Faculty of Humanities at BINUS University, Indonesia. She has been teaching Japanese Department as a faculty member since 2006. She has a strong interest in education inspired by Nelson Mandela who espoused that “Education is the most powerful ..

Dr. Elisa Carolina Marion

Dr Elisa Carolina Marion, SS, MSi, is the dean of the Faculty of Humanities at BINUS University, Indonesia. She has been teaching Japanese Department as a faculty member since 2006. She has a strong interest in education inspired by Nelson Mandela who espoused that “Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.” Dr Marion’s teaching and research focus on Japanese business, Japanese corporate culture, Japanese management as well as Japanese language being used in companies.

India

Dr. Debasish Nandy

Email: debasishnandy.kc@gmail.com

Dr. Debasish Nandy is an associate professor and head of the Department of Political Science at Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, India. He is the coordinator of the Centre for Studies of South and South-East Asian Societies at the same university. Dr. Nandy has 20 years of teaching…..

Dr. Debasish Nandy

Dr. Debasish Nandy is an associate professor and head of the Department of Political Science at Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, India. He is the coordinator of the Centre for Studies of South and South-East Asian Societies at the same university. Dr Nandy has 20 years of teaching and research experience. He was the visiting faculty in the Department of Foreign Area Studies at Tajik National University, Tajikistan, and at the Department of Japanese Studies, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is a guest lecturer at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany. An author of five books and an editor of 12 more, Dr Nandy has published 54 research articles in reputed journals. His research areas include peace studies, refugees and migration, South Asian politics and Indo-Pacific studies. Dr Nandy has supervised four PhD and three MPhil scholars. He has visited more than a dozen countries and accomplished three research projects. He has been a popular TV talker on Bangla channels as an international political analyst since 2012.

Afghanistan

Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany

 

Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, at Baghlan Government University, Afghanistan. He started his higher Education i.e. BA from Baghlan University and, later he completed his Master in Sociology from Osmania University,Hyderabad, INDIA in 2011…..

Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany

Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, at Baghlan Government University, Afghanistan. He started his higher Education i.e. BA from Baghlan University and, later he completed his Master in Sociology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, INDIA in 2011. In 2020, he has been awarded with a Ph.D. Degree from Osmania University, INDIA for the topic entitled “Political Ideology, Political System and Voting Behavior in India and Afghanistan - A Comparative Analysis”. And completed his Postdoctoral Program at Kerala University on the topic of (Socio-Political Dimensions of Conflict in A Multi-ethnic Society and Search for Peace: A Case Study of Afghanistan) Besides, he holds two Post-Graduate Diplomas in Human Rights, Leadership, Management And Governance from Indian Institute of Governance and Leadership Delhi India Haryana India. Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany has 13 years of teaching and research experience in different Government and Non-Governmental Organizations, and most importantly he served as ViceChancellor of the Quds Private University, Afghanistan. In addition to this, he held several positions namely (1) Head of the Department of Political Science at Hakim Sanayee Private University, (2) Project Manager for SPR (NGO), (3) Guest Lecturer at Teacher Training High Institute, (4) Master Trainer at the Commission of Government Employment Capacity Building Development, (6) Planning Member in Education Department, Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. He has supervised 20 BA students for their Academic Projects since 2013-2015 at Baghlan University, Afghanistan. At present, he has been working as Assistant Professor in Sociology, at Baghlan University. Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany is also notable as a social worker and political analyst in Afghanistan as he regularly participates in various debates in well-known National and International Media of Afghanistan and Broad. His experience and expertise lured many institutions to have him as a resource person to deliver lectures on unique topics, and of course, his way of presentation impresses every participant and boosts their spirit of indomitable. Dr. Gulab Mir Rahmany has, so far, published many research papers in National and International journals, and over a century of popular articles he can be seen in Newspapers and web portals. He also participated in more than 39 National and International Conferences in various countries in Asia and Europe.

Nepal

Prof. Dr. Him Lal Ghimire

Prof. Dr. Him Lal Ghimire

Prof. Dr. Him Lal Ghimire holds an impressive array of academic and professional accomplishments. He is currently an Executive Member of the South Asian Association of Japanese Studies (JSASA). Dr. Ghimire is the Founder and a Board of Director of REHDON College, an institution…

Prof. Dr. Him Lal Ghimir

Prof. Dr. Him Lal Ghimire holds an impressive array of academic and professional accomplishments. He is currently an Executive Member of the South Asian Association of Japanese Studies (JSASA). Dr. Ghimire is the Founder and a Board of Director of REHDON College, an institution affiliated with Tribhuvan University, located in Kathmandu, Nepal. His educational background includes two Post-Doctorate degrees earned in Japan, a PhD from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, an MSED in Leadership for Educational Change from Bank Street College of Education in New York, USA and MSc. from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Dr. Ghimire has devoted extensive research to topics such as Tourism, Buddhist Pilgrimage (with a focus on the Shikoku-88 Buddhist Temples Circuit in Japan), Lumbini (the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal), and Culture and Heritage Tourism. He has received the prestigious Postdoctoral fellowship from the Japan Foundation on two occasions. Dr. Ghimire has held positions as a Visiting Fellow at Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan, as well as at the International Research Centre for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Japan. He has authored two books and contributed more than 350 research papers to peer-reviewed academic journals, magazines, and newspapers, with over 15 of them focusing on Japan. Dr. Ghimire serves as the Chief Editor for the Proceedings and Souvenir book of the Buddhist International Travel Mart (BITM) 2023 and the Souvenir book of Madhesh Conclave 2023. He is a Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Japanese Studies: Exploring Multidisciplinarity at Dhaka University and a Member of the Editorial Board for the GAZE Journal of Tourism and Hospitality. Dr. Ghimire has played a pivotal role in developing various tourism development plans for local governments and has contributed to a Strategic Plan for the development of Buddhist Tourism in South Asia for a multinational company based in Thailand. In addition to his academic achievements, Dr. Ghimire is a pioneer in progressive education in Nepal and has dedicated more than 35 years to roles such as Principal, Head of School, Director, Trainer, and Staff Developer. He has presented numerous research papers about Japan at international conferences. Dr. Ghimire has been recognized for his outstanding contributions with awards such as the "Prajwal Janasewa Shree" in 2016, one of Nepal's high-level honors, and the "Nepal Vidhya Bhushan 'Ka' " in 2015, the highest academic award in Nepal, both conferred by the Rt. Hon. Presidents of Nepal. Additionally, he is a recipient of the Sakai Lions Club and Imanishi Memorial Fellowship Award for his contributions to the Journal of Nepal-Japan Studies. Dr. Ghimire's educational pursuits have been supported by various scholarships, including a PhD fellowship from Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), a full scholarship from the Happy House Foundation in Switzerland for his MSED program at Bank Street College of Education in New York, USA, and a full scholarship from the United Mission to Nepal for his high school education. Notably, Dr. Ghimire has played a vital role in Nepal's democratic movement as a freedom fighter, holding various positions and responsibilities in support of democracy.

Bhutan

Mr. Karma Wangdi

E-mail: wangdikarma@gmail.com

Mr. Karma Wangdi currently works as a Chief Researcher Officer at the Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS), Thimphu, Bhutan. He has coordinated and led GNH surveys conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2022 besides co-authoring the survey reports. He is also an associate editor of the..

Mr. Karma Wangdi

Mr. Karma Wangdi currently works as a Chief Researcher Officer at the Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS), Thimphu, Bhutan. He has coordinated and led GNH surveys conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2022 besides co-authoring the survey reports. He is also an associate editor of the Journal of Bhutan Studies (JBS), a bi-annual publication of the CBS and Editorial Board member for Bhutan Journal of Management (BJoM), a biannual publication of the Royal Institute of Management (RIM), Bhutan. He also served as a member of the Research Ethics Board of Health (REBH), an Institutional Review Board of the Ministry of Health, Bhutan from 2012 - 2021. Karma has a Bachelors Degree in Commerce from Sherubtse College and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from University of Canberra. He also has a Post Graduate Certificate in Development Management from the Royal Institute of Management, Bhutan.

Pakistan

Prof. Syed Sikander Mehdi 

E-mail: sikander.mehdi@gmail.com

Professor (rtd.)  Syed Sikander Mehdi is well known as a leading peace scholar from Pakistan. He taught international relations and peace studies at the universities in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Austria and Spain, and availed research fellowships in Oslo, Washington D.C., and Kyoto….

Prof. Syed Sikander Mehdi

Professor (rtd.) Syed Sikander Mehdi is well known as a leading peace scholar from Pakistan. He taught international relations and peace studies at the universities in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Austria and Spain, and availed research fellowships in Oslo, Washington D.C., and Kyoto. His research works have been published in Pakistan and abroad, and some of these were translated in foreign languages.

Nepal

Professor Dr. Khadga K.C.

E-mail: khadga.kc@dird.tu.edu.np

Dr. Khadga K.C. is a professor in Tribhuvan University of Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1993, TU awarded him a master’s in political science. He attended Nagasaki University in Japan from 2002 to 2009 as part of a Japanese Governhimnt Scholarship …..

Professor Khadga K.C., PhD

Khadga K.C. is a professor in Tribhuvan University of Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1993, TU awarded him a master's in political science. He attended Nagasaki University in Japan from 2002 to 2009 as part of a Japanese Governhimnt Scholarship to complete his PhD, post-doctoral research, and international affairs master's degree. Since 2010, he has also served as a Visiting Faculty Member at the Nepali Army Command and Staff College, the APF Command and Staff College, and the Nepali Army Higher Command and Management. He was also a US State Department SUSI Fellow (April-June 2012 at Harvard and Chicago Universities) and a Japan Foundation Fellow (JulY, 2012 to -March, 2013) From 2014 to 2016 and once more from 2019 to 2022, He also worked as a board member for the Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also working as a Board of Studies member at the South Asian University New Delhi for two years, as well as the PhD External Evaluation Committee at Bangladesh National Defense University, Dhaka, and the PhD Research Committee for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, TU. He edited the Journal of Political Science from 1996 to 2001, the Journal of International Affairs from 2009 to 2013, and the Journal of Political Science once more from 2016 to 2020. He served as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of International Affairs, which is published by the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, the Journal of Asian Political Affairs, which is published by the Department of Political Science at the Chittagong University in Bangladesh, and the Policy Review Journal, which is published by the Policy Research Institute in Kathmandu. He has authored a large number of research articles for national and international publications on a range of subjects, including modern Japanese political philosophy, Nepal's civil and military relations, Chinese and Japanese aid to Nepal, the South China Sea, and the Belt and Road Initiative. The recent pieces "Changes in Global Power Relations, Geopolitical Complexity, and Nepal" in Unity Journal, Kathmandu: Nepal Army, and "Nepal Amid Sino-Indian Contestation" in Crossing the Himalayas, edited by Niang Peng, Ghulam Ali, and Yi Zhang, are two examples. At conferences held in Bangladesh, Canada, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, he has presented academic papers.

South Korea

Dr. Joowon Yuk 

E-mail: joowon.yuk@knu.ac.kr

Dr. Joowon Yuk is an Associate Professor of Sociology and currently Vice Dean of Social Science at Kyungpook National University, South Korea. She is also Director of the Center for Minorities and Human Rights at Social Science College. She has completed her BA at Seoul National University………

Dr. Joowon Yuk

Dr. Joowon Yuk is an Associate Professor of Sociology and currently Vice Dean of Social Science at Kyungpook National University, South Korea. She is also Director of the Center for Minorities and Human Rights at Social Science College. She has completed her BA at Seoul National University, South Korea and her MA and PhD at University of Warwick, UK. She did her post-doc at Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore. Her PhD thesis, from University of Warwick in 2014, is on the topic of the multiculturalization of South Korea and the politics of culture and ‘race’. Her research interests include minorities and citizenship, and the sociology of arts and culture. She has been active in social justice causes actively working with civil society groups. She is currently doing action research on the politics of belonging around the Daegu Daruleeman Islamic Mosque conflict while working as a member of the Taskforce for Peaceful Resolution of the Daegu Mosque Issue.