This thesis is dedicated to...
People who wish to bring true peace to this world,
The Japanese people, who have created and possess such a great culture,
All living things.
We are all one.
Mari Katsui
Can Japanese Culture Contribute to Sustainability for Peace? A Case Study on Ikenobo
Chapter 2: Research Methodology-3
Research Approach
To my knowledge, the question of how Japanese culture can contribute to sustainable peace has never before been the subject of a research project.
Therefore, the traditional model of research, in which the researcher chooses an existing theoretical framework and then collects data to test whether or to what degree the theory explains a phenomenon, is not suited to this project’s research question.
This research project is not theory testing. It is theory building.
For theory building, qualitative case study research is one recommended approach.
Case studies are especially appropriate when attempting to answer “How?” questions.(My research question is: How can Japanese culture, as exemplified in the beliefs and practices of Ikenobo, contribute to sustainable peace?)
Key Knowledge Areas and Definitions
In theory-building research, one generally does not start with a review of existing literature (see Chapter 3).
But it is useful to start with a set of key knowledge areas and definitions in order to plan and guide the data gathering.
Concepts and Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas used in this research design include the following:
Background information about Japan and the Japanese people
Japanese society and Japanese culture
Sustainability in Japanese culture
Japanese management systems
Flowers and flower arrangement
The Japanese people’s relationship with nature
Sustainability of peace
Natural disasters
Religion: Shintoism
The Jomon period of ancient Japanese history
The Japanese language
The Japanese people, peace, and Article 9 of the Constitution (the “Peace Constitution”)
to be continued...