Making "Rapport"——Fieldwork on Social Movements
Making "Rapport"——Fieldwork on Social Movements
Monday, 7 July 2025: 13:45
Location: FSE016 (Faculty of Education Sciences (FSE))
Oral Presentation
Fieldwork in social movements is challenging. Particularly, conducting fieldwork and participating in the activities of social movements are inseparable. While science is founded on the principle of observation, in the study of social movements, it is not feasible to remain a mere observer. Another difficulty arises from the constantly changing situation of social movements. Social movements do not possess an established system of values or customary practices. To shape the movement, new rules must be created, which are formed not only within the movement itself but also through interactions with external societal circumstances. Therefore, for researchers, it is not always clear what theoretical framework to adopt.
This presentation will address the challenges of conducting fieldwork on social movements, drawing on Bruno Latour’s concept of "Rapport." Latour highlights the dual meaning of "Rapport" in French: it signifies both a report and a relationship. If we put this into a proposition, one could say that to write a report is to form a relationship. For Latour, fieldwork is not about conducting research according to a predefined theoretical framework. Rather, it involves tracing and describing the connections between actors. By undertaking this description, the researcher illuminates relationships that would have otherwise remained obscure. How can we rethink the challenges of social movement fieldwork through the application of "Rapport"? This is the central question.
In Japan, social movements were revitalized following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. At the heart of these movements were the areas in front of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Diet. Historically, these political centers were not typical sites for protests in Japan. However, following the anti-nuclear movement that began in 2011, these areas became center for various protests. The presenter has been conducting fieldwork on these social movements in these area. This report is based on this fieldwork.
This presentation will address the challenges of conducting fieldwork on social movements, drawing on Bruno Latour’s concept of "Rapport." Latour highlights the dual meaning of "Rapport" in French: it signifies both a report and a relationship. If we put this into a proposition, one could say that to write a report is to form a relationship. For Latour, fieldwork is not about conducting research according to a predefined theoretical framework. Rather, it involves tracing and describing the connections between actors. By undertaking this description, the researcher illuminates relationships that would have otherwise remained obscure. How can we rethink the challenges of social movement fieldwork through the application of "Rapport"? This is the central question.
In Japan, social movements were revitalized following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. At the heart of these movements were the areas in front of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Diet. Historically, these political centers were not typical sites for protests in Japan. However, following the anti-nuclear movement that began in 2011, these areas became center for various protests. The presenter has been conducting fieldwork on these social movements in these area. This report is based on this fieldwork.