This paper reexamines the origins of modern social science as it developed in the United States after the 1920s, and seeks to clarify the internal logic through which methodological consciousness was formed. Previous studies have focused on the decline of post–World War I progressivism and the institutionalization of social science centered on the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), interpreting the new conception of social science in the 1920s as a scientistic attempt aimed at social intervention. In contrast, this paper highlights what Karl Mannheim termed “methodological asceticism” and reconsiders the practices of social scientists of the period from the perspective of Max Weber’s interpretive sociology. Through comparisons with public intellectuals such as John Dewey and Walter Lippmann, as well as textual analyses of figures including Robert M. MacIver and William F. Ogburn, this study shows that social scientists (1) confronted a crisis in which both ideals and facts lost credibility in the aftermath of the war, and (2) sought, through scientific methods, to depict a disordered society and encourage readers to generate shared purposes. Rather than subordinating methods to given ends, they refined their methods in order to connect them to the formation of as-yet-undetermined ends. In this process, consciousness of purpose and methodological consciousness emerged simultaneously. This conception of social science represents one aspect of organized modernity shaped by the experience of total war, and it retains contemporary significance insofar as it anticipates later technologies of governance as well as biopolitics and thanatopolitics.

On June 3, marking 34 years since the 1991 Unzen-Fugendake pyroclastic flow disaster, we presented an image archive exhibition that focused on the social memory and accumulation of information generated by media coverage at the onset of the eruption. The exhibition featured an interactive area where visitors could browse archived newspaper content using monitors and their own smartphones. A conversational AI feature also were available, allowing users to engage with the archive through voice and text guides, to learn about the sequence of news reporting and to ask questions about notable events. The digitally recreated newspaper pages, displayed in their original vivid and impactful visual form, offered a compelling window into the urgency of disaster reporting and the struggles and responses of affected communities. Through this exhibition, we aimed to explore ways to utilize ICT tools for disaster media education and to highlight the importance of preserving and passing on disaster-related materials for future generations.

This study analyzes the dynamics of industry and employment in the evacuation order zones following the Fukushima nuclear accident, examining and extending the research of Mitsuhiro Seki and Yuji Genda. Using data from Teikoku Databank and Tokyo Shoko Research, the affected areas were classified into “Region ➀” (e.g., Okuma Town), “Region ②” (e.g., Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City) and “Region ③” (e.g., Soma City) based on the continuation status of the evacuation order. Industries were divided into the “production sector” and the “consumption sector,” and the study primarily focused on Region ①, analyzing the trends of relocation and disappearance of large-scale business establishments and local enterprises in relation to changes in employment. The results confirmed Seki’s suggestion that the “consumption sector” faced significant difficulty in reopening, with a high rate of disappearance, and Genda’s suggestion that job losses were notable. However, this trend was particularly evident in large-scale business establishments. In contrast, local enterprises exhibited a certain degree of relocation, leaving room for maintaining employment. On the other hand, the “production sector” showed a tendency for relocation, with relatively higher employment retention, especially in large-scale business establishments. While Genda’s observation of widespread job losses was evident in the consumption sector, contrary to his assertion, employment retention was more prevalent in the production sector. These findings reveal that the disappearance and relocation of business establishments and enterprises significantly impact the circumstances of workers. Adopting this perspective of “mobile industries and employment” has the potential to clarify pathways for sustaining occupations during evacuation periods. Understanding the dynamics of industry and employment during disasters is essential as a foundational perspective for supporting evacuees and formulating policies to maintain employment.

This paper explores the transformation of ideas about social order in 19th-century Western thought by contrasting two distinct concepts: the "order to come" and the "order that exists." The "order to come" was envisioned by Rousseau, Saint-Simon, Comte, and Spencer as an ideal future social structure. However, Gumplowicz viewed order as a contingent phenomenon and destabilized this vision by highlighting the possibility of chaos. On the other hand, the "order that exists" was understood by Tocqueville, Proudhon, Ross, and Cooley as a duality of order and disorder embedded in real social relationships and power structures. This study reveals that ideas of order developed autonomously across two dimensions—ideal future visions and the realities of social structures—rather than being a mere extension of the concept of progress. Ultimately, this research suggests that conceptions of order have become independent from the idea of progress, highlighting the need to analyze social order from a multilayered perspective.

This research project a) elucidated the axiomatic systems of the concept of social time (Sorokin & Merton), the four ideal types of time (Mita), and the time concept in sociological systems theory (Luhmann), b) clarified a part of the history of the sociology of time in terms of “social time”, c) clarified the relationship between collectivity, individuality and social time on the basis of the time theory of Halbwachs and Durkheim, d) indicated the potentialities of Luhmann’s conception of time as communication medium and its forms, e) elucidated that the idea of Indefinite Progress had been always contested by such ideas as Regress and Cycle in the nineteenth century Western thought, f) interpreted Mita’s theory of nihilism as a question of modern sense of instrumentalism and exchange value.

No sufficient empirical study has been conducted on how the social groups - families, neighborhoods, businesses - experience the devastating disaster in Japan. This project carried out a series of research on how these three types of social group are affected by the ongoing mass evacuation process, and on how they are responding to this situation. To that end, this study took a sociological approach so that the "group" change is explained not only in its actual membership but also in its symbolic representation. These processes were shown in the statistical and case study of the groups that were evacuated from the area surrounding Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

<Abstract of Project Proposal>

When we think of recovering from a serious disaster, it is inevitable to promote re-opening local businesses and re-hiring the employees, otherwise neither the managers nor the workers would be able to start reconstructing their lives. In the case of a natural disaster, business and employment are even more important because they stimulate the recovery of economic, political, social, and cultural processes.
However, this is not always the case, as in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Especially in the area around the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, where catastrophic damage to every aspect of human life continues, it is apparent that the reconstruction of enterprises and employment is not necessarily contributing to the recovery of the damaged area and its people.
There are a couple of obvious reasons for this: the strict evacuation zones still prevent quite a few companies from operating in their original locations: moreover, uncertainty over the changing disaster zone boundaries discourages managers and employees from deciding where it is safe to work, or even to live.
However, no matter what the economic situation is, new social forms and values are being formed: workers have somehow begun to resume their work and ideals despite the difficulties entailed by the evacuation and disappointing uncertainty. When we pay serious attention to small and medium-sized companies and their sometimes fragile workplaces, we get a better idea of their company morale as well as their mutual relationship outside the workplace.
Hence it is our goal in this project to determine which kind of industry is the model of new social forms and values, and which work arrangement gives us the best chance of safely and securely reconstructing communities affected by the ongoing disaster.

<Summary of Final Report>

[1] Research Challenges
The true nature of an economy is often tested during disasters. In the wake of events like the Great Hanshin Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake, discussions emerged not only about the immediate emergency responses and innovative recovery business models but also about government economic support and the advancement of moral economies. These circumstances have sparked calls to re-examine the conventional economic structures.

But how much recovery have the affected economic entities themselves achieved? Some businesses succumbed to adversity, while others overcame challenges and thrived in the long term. What distinguishes these outcomes? Are the often-discussed innovations in business models or advancements in moral economies genuinely aiding the recovery of affected organizations?
Upon examining the factors influencing the revival of local economic entities, a critical perspective appears to be missing. How do the leaders and employees of resilient companies maintain the resolve to overcome such immense hardships over several years or even decades? Is such perseverance possible without rebuilding the connections among colleagues who supported each other before the disaster?
This study aimed to demonstrate that reconstructing workplace relationships is fundamental to achieving job recovery. By identifying and removing barriers to job recovery, the study sought to propose pathways for reinforcing the societal values that people genuinely desire and actively uphold.

[2] Research Methods
The study focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, specifically examining the role of workplace relationship reconstruction. It analyzed the current realities and challenges of businesses in Fukushima Prefecture’s Futaba District that, even 3 to 5 years after the disaster, continued striving to restore pre-disaster economic activity.
First, the study questioned the perspective that "all it takes for job recovery is funding and opportunities." Contrary to expectations that recovery-related construction and energy industries were driving business and employment growth, statistical evidence suggested a more complex interplay of factors. To address this, data from Fukushima Prefecture’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Federation and Teikoku Databank were utilized. These sources allowed the study to reveal how workplace dynamics were not irrelevant to business resumption.
Second, the study challenged the view that "achieving business operations and employment automatically leads to job recovery." Detailed examination showed that merely restoring operations and employment might fail to alleviate fatigue among on-site workers. To explore this further, cooperation was sought from companies in various sectors: food service (Company P), welfare services (Company Q), and automotive maintenance (Company R). The findings highlighted how the reconstruction of workplace relationships serves as a vital driving force for true job recovery. Conversely, failure in such reconstruction could significantly hinder progress.

[3] Research Findings
Through statistical and case analyses, the study did not confirm that funding and opportunities alone advance job recovery. For medium-sized service industry businesses, workplace relationship reconstruction was essential for recovery. Statistical data showed that neither the mere association with construction or nuclear industries nor the resumption of business activities directly led to increased revenue or employee returns.
From individual cases, it became evident that when workplace relationships were rebuilt, the process of business resumption gained considerable momentum. However, dispersed work arrangements made it challenging to envision collective recovery efforts, causing frustration over the gap between initial enthusiasm and current realities.
Nevertheless, rebuilding broader connections, including with former employees and newly joined staff, emerged as a source of strength for tackling long-term challenges. Promoting and sustaining workplace relationship reconstruction appears to be a critical new value sought on the ground, beyond merely securing funding or opportunities.

To this end, two recommendations are proposed:
- Alleviating barriers to workplace relationship reconstruction by supporting initiatives such as employee housing development and company-led employment assistance.
- Promoting sustainable relationship-building efforts to foster a sense of commitment to regional recovery, thereby creating new value for society.

By chance, I was assigned to develop a data science education program at my current institution last October. Since then, I have paused most of my research projects to explore ways to combine data science with social research education. Teaching how to create and use AI is interesting, but it feels incomplete. In this article, I share the challenges and solutions I discovered and reflect on education and society.