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Kiyotada Tsutsui

つつい きよただ

Tsutsui Kiyotada

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1948-08-18 （Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan → Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan → Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Sociologist, Historical sociologist, University professor, Researcher
Active Years
1978-
Affiliations
Chukyo University, Faculty of Liberal Arts (Lecturer), Nara Women's University, Faculty of Letters (Associate Professor), Kyoto University, Faculty of Letters (Associate Professor; Professor), Teikyo Heisei University, Faculty of Informatics, Department of Cultural Information (Professor), Teikyo University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Japanese Culture (Professor), The Tokyo Foundation (Senior Research Fellow)

Education

Kyoto University
Faculty of Letters / Faculty of Letters
Degree: 学士（文学）
Period: 〜1972年
Year of Graduation: 1972
Country: Japan
Graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Letters in 1972
Kyoto University Graduate School, Graduate School of Letters
Graduate School of Letters (doctoral program) / Graduate School of Letters
Period: 在学〜1977年
Year of Graduation: 1977
Country: Japan
Withdrew from the doctoral program in 1977
Kyoto University
Graduate School of Letters / Historical Sociology
Degree: 博士（文学）
Period: 学位取得 1988年
Year of Graduation: 1988
Country: Japan
Awarded PhD (Literature) in 1988 for the thesis 'The Structure of Showa-era Japan'

Awards

Yamamoto Shichihei Prize (Special Prize)
2005
Work: Saijo Yaso
Category: 特別賞
Organization: Yamamoto Shichihei Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞
Japan Society for Children's Literature Special Prize
2005
Work: Saijo Yaso
Category: 特別賞
Organization: Japan Society for Children's Literature
Result: 受賞
Yomiuri Literature Prize (Criticism/Biography)
2006
Work: Saijo Yaso
Category: 評論・伝記部門
Organization: Yomiuri Shimbun
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Structure of Showa-era Japan: A Historical-Sociological Study

1984 History / Sociology

An analysis of political and social structures in the Showa era from a historical-sociological perspective.

Showa-era historyhistorical sociologypolitical structure

Social History of Contemporary Thought: Directions of Paradigm Shifts in the Social Sciences

1985 Intellectual history / Sociology

Traces the changes of thought and paradigm shifts within the social sciences.

intellectual historyparadigm shiftssocial sciences

Saijo Yaso

2005 Biography / Criticism

A scholarly biography of poet Saijo Yaso, combining detailed archival research with critical study.

biographymodern literaturecultural history

The Thought of Period Drama Films: The Fate of Nostalgia

2000 Film studies / Cultural criticism

Analyzes nostalgia and ideological themes appearing in Japanese period films.

filmnostalgiapopular culture

The Army and Politics in the 1930s: The Myth and Reality of the Active-Service Officer System

2007 Military history / Political history

A detailed study examining relations between the Imperial Army and politics in the 1930s.

militarypolitical historyShowa-era history

The Era of the Capital's Reconstruction: After the Great Kanto Earthquake

2011 Urban history / Social history

Historical study of urban reconstruction and social change following the Great Kanto Earthquake.

urban historyearthquakesocial change

Prewar Japanese Populism: The Road to the Pacific War

2018 Political history / Intellectual history

Discusses the development of populism in prewar Japan and its influence on the path to war with the U.S.

populismwar historypolitical movements

Emperor, Corona, Populism: Contemporary Japan Seen from Showa History

2022 Contemporary history / Criticism

An essay collection reflecting on contemporary Japanese political culture and populism through Showa-era perspectives.

contemporary historypolitical culturepandemic

A History of Assassinations in Modern Japan

2023 Modern and contemporary history

Examines the relationship between politics and violence through assassination incidents in modern Japan.

assassinationpolitical violencemodern history

Bibliography

  • The Structure of Showa-era Japan: A Historical-Sociological Study
  • Social History of Contemporary Thought: Directions of Paradigm Shifts in the Social Sciences
  • Ishibashi Tanzan: The Trajectory of a Liberal Politician
  • The Fate of Japanese-Style 'Cultivation': A Historical-Sociological Study
  • The Thought of Period Drama Films: The Fate of Nostalgia
  • In Search of New Cultural Literacy
  • Saijo Yaso
  • The Army and Politics in the 1930s: The Myth and Reality of the Active-Service Officer System
  • The Era of the Capital's Reconstruction: After the Great Kanto Earthquake
  • Prewar Japanese Populism: The Road to the Pacific War
  • Emperor, Corona, Populism: Contemporary Japan Seen from Showa History
  • A History of Assassinations in Modern Japan

Translations by Author

  • Weber and Contemporary Sociology: Proceedings of the 15th German Sociological Association (supervising editor/translator)
  • A New Cultural History (translated)
  • Race and Culture: A Critical Examination (translated)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Academic prose grounded in historical-sociological analysisClear and logical expositionExpository style bridging specialist and general readership
Recurring Motifs
Showa-era historypopulism and politicsmilitary and societypopular culture (including film)cultural literacy and education

Legacy

From a historical-sociological standpoint, he has analyzed Showa-era Japanese politics and culture across multiple domains, influencing both academic research and works aimed at general readers. His research spans prewar political and military history, cultural history, and studies of populism, and he has participated in public discourse.

In Popular Culture

  • TOKYO MX 'TOKYO MX NEWS' Tuesday commentator (2011)

Trivia

  • Born in 1948 in Oita City.
  • Withdrew from Kyoto University's doctoral program in 1977 but later received a PhD (Literature) in 1988.
  • Won the 57th Yomiuri Literature Prize (Criticism/Biography) in 2006 for 'Saijo Yaso'.
  • Has appeared as a television commentator (TOKYO MX, 2011).