【Webinar Report】Research Practices in a Foreign Environment

On Thursday, 2021 November 18^th, an online lecture by Analyst for the Embassy of Georgia to Japan and senior researcher, Dr. David Goginashvili, from Keio University’s SFC Research Institute was provided under the presentation title “Research Training: Research Journey Experiences.”

In his lecture, Dr. Goginashvili spoke about his study journey in Japan from being a Master’s student through his doctoral student experiences. He also shared his Master’s research on the “Russian and Georgia War” as well as his doctoral dissertation on “Honne and Tatemae in Japanese Foreign Policy.” The main argument and background of his selection on the latter topic was that there is an influence from ingrained Japanese culture affecting the characteristics of Japan’s foreign policy. The culture of Honne and Tatemae shape Japan’s characteristics, particularly in the international environment as a safety player full of careful deliberation.

Dr. Goginashvili further provided strategies on how to write a Master’s thesis and how to survive as a research student, in terms of attempting to get scholarships, grants, widening one’s network, doing a related part-time job, attending high-level visits at government events, trying to get close with one’s embassy, joining the diaspora community, attending conferences, writing and publishing articles, etc.

The lecture concluded with a Q&A session where Dr. Goginashvili and students discussed several questions, such as how to select a good topic and how research practices are in a Japanese environment.

Written by Yami Roca and Yusy Widarahesty (Doctoral Students at the Graduate School of International Relations)