NJ_BREGED Norway-Japan: Bridging Research and Education in Gender Equality and Diversity

The gender- and diversity-related societal challenges facing the world today need to be rigorously addressed by research agendas strengthened by global perspectives and cross-cultural approaches. This project will make an important contribution to these goals by strengthening the pre-existing collaboration between the Center for Gender Studies-NTNU and the Institute for Gender Studies-Ochanomizu University. The project explores to what extent and in which ways we can envisage and/or problematize the so called export of the Norwegian dual earner/dual career model of gender equality to a national context with differing political systems and culture. It asks how the political ideal of gender equality relates to other axes of difference, such as social class, ethnicity/race, sexuality and age within and across the Japanese and Norwegian national contexts. The research questions are addressed through the mutual exchange of both scientific staff and students. Gender equality and the construction of a more inclusive society have been expressed as distinct political goals for both Norway and Japan. At the same time, national politics, cultural sentiments and economic developments have made the forms and contents of gender equality politics different for the two nations. NJ_BREGED project's aim is to generate comparative global research that will serve to cultivate new perspectives within Scandinavian research by revealing alternative pathways, models and cultural contexts.

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The NJ_BREGED project aims at strengthening the pre-existing yet nascent collaboration between the Center for Gender Studies-NTNU and Institute for Gender Studies–Ochanomizu University. Both partners have active research agendas built around gender equality and diversity, similar educational offerings (B.A., M.A. and Ph.D Gender Studies programs), and the desire to expand joint research and teaching efforts. For the Centre for Gender Studies at NTNU, this cooperation would serve to a) reinforce the comparative dimension of its teaching and research at all levels by implicating graduate students in world-class research on gender, b) open multiple avenues for collaboration and dissemination, and c) allow research groups and students to develop an international network. For the IGS in Japan, the collaboration would connect with current research and policy efforts to reduce gender disparities. Beyond this, NJ_BREGED has a visionary aim–the promotion of a more gender equal and diverse society through the close association of education, research and policy. As most of NJ_BREGED’s core participants are institutionally, scientifically and pedagogically anchored in the project’s key aims, efforts to integrate the research findings into courses at the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. levels will be facilitated. The following overarching questions are addressed in the NJ_BREGED project: To what extent and in which ways can we envisage and/or problematize the export of the Norwegian dual earner/dual career model of gender equality to a national context with differing political systems and culture? How does the political ideal of gender equality relate to other axes of difference, such as social class, ethnicity/race, sexuality and age within and across both national contexts?