Sociology of Communication Lab explores social phenomena in the realm of civil society from a sociological perspective. We study changes in behaviors and development of knowledge and mind by analyzing the structures of everyday life, people’s frame of reference, social stock of knowledge, the world of discourse, as well as forms and contents of interactions. We primarily employ qualitative methodologies such as participant observations and interviews to approach the logic and meanings of people and objects under study from the perspectives of both theories and fields. 

All lab members, including faculty and students, have their own specific research fields and we value mutual learning. Rather than relying on techniques and procedures, our lab emphasizes the importance of having “dialogue” with subjects that we study. 

“Communication” is the keyword that ties all members of our lab. Following a publication of Color Vision Discrimination and Difficulty to Talk (2016) based on interactionism of experience and language, Prof. Tokugawa is engaged in research applying "difficulty to talk" to issues on food-agricultural communication and dominant representations. Prof. Okada examines giving behaviors (for example, donations and volunteering) and the significance of nonprofit organizations in contemporary society with a focus on words and expressions that people use. Assis. Prof. Zhou conducts field research on social relations (“guanxi” in Chinese) and farmers orientation in Japanese and Chinese rural communities. Assis. Prof. Zhang focuses on the development of symbolic interactionist gender theory and the narrative of women's experiences. Assis. Prof. Dansu explores how marginalized individuals use online peer support communities to reclaim identity and achieve social reintegration.