Aya Ezawa
University Lecturer Modern Japanese Studies
- Name
- Dr. A.E. Ezawa
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2548
- a.ezawa@hum.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-9761-7554
Aya Ezawa is a sociologist and University Lecturer in Modern Japan studies. Her research examines social inequality and differentiation based on oral history interviews. In her research, she has examined the gendered character of social class and social mobility in the context of the life stories of single mothers in Japan. Her research on Japanese-Indo-Europeans explores examines how race and gender shape the discourse and personal lives of children born during the Japanese Occupation of the Dutch East Indies. Between 2019 and 2024 Aya served as the Diversity Officer of Leiden University. In this capacity, she developed policy on a range of issues, including gender neutral address, a training program and guide for inclusive hiring, an inclusive teaching guide, the improvement of accessibility and information about inclusive facilities of buildings, data and monitoring of D&I, supported community building of students and staff networks, and raised awareness within the university community on a broad range of issues in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. She also served as the chair of the National Network of Diversity Officers (LanDO).
More information about Aya Ezawa
News
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‘Partying is fine but we still need to protest’ -
Exhibition encourages us to reflect on the history of slavery -
Farewell to Diversity Officer Aya Ezawa: Tireless advocate for D&I -
How can we banish racism from education? -
Inclusion on International Women’s Day: pulling together for structural change -
Growing diversity of Dutch population not immediately visible at universities -
D&I Symposium 2024: What have we achieved with a decade of diversity policy? -
Our perspective on history is changing and our museums are changing too -
‘We have to stay alert and keep on feeling the past’ -
Being yourself in the summer sun: Leiden University shines at Canal Pride Leiden -
Racism: a daily reality -
‘We should stop celebrating diversity. It should be a given’ -
Three questions about the D&I Symposium 2023 -
University diversity policy is alive and kicking: ‘We need to acknowledge each other’s experiences’ -
Belittling and threats are part of everyday life for outspoken women -
‘People are equal but not the same’: diversity and inclusion from a legal perspective -
New Year’s reception 2021: a memorable online event -
A constructive discussion about an inclusive Sinterklaas celebration -
An inclusive university as a joint effort
Research
My research explores the lives of individuals based on oral history interviews, to be able to connect individual life trajectories with their social and historical context. More concretely, I have explored the lives of single mothers in Japan, not only to shed light on the socio-economic consequences of pursuing a lifestyle outside of the married mother, and male breadwinner norm, but also to foster a better understanding of the gendered character of social class and social mobility. My most recent research focuses on the relationship between memories of WWII and the experiences and identities of children born across enemy lines during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies.
CV
Education
Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
M.Sc. in Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, UK
B.A. cum laude in Japanese Studies-Modern Society, Sophia University, Japan
University Lecturer Modern Japanese Studies
- Faculty of Humanities
- Leiden Institute for Area Studies
- SAS Japan