Japanese Women and Women's Universities in Japan in the Context of Historical, Social, and Political Dynamics and Discourses

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the position of Japanese women in the higher education system, especially in Women's Universities, from the social, political, and cultural aspects of the last 150 years. Since the studies on the Japanese society, women, the education system, and higher education at the national level are limited, first, the change in socio-cultural and political discourses regarding Japanese women and the transformation of Japanese Higher Education in the last century, and secondly the history of women's education and universities in Japan are scrutinized in social and political contexts. Lastly, the position and role of the Japanese women are attempted to be discussed by analyzing the women's universities. Basing all discussions and data, it can be interpreted that women's universities are mostly not in a visionary, specific, and impulsive position regarding women and women's education, and most are not in a pioneering, groundbreaking position compared to coed universities in terms of academic productivity