A comparative Study on the Changeability and Multilayerness of "Region" in Area Studies

在这个项目中，十位专门研究不同地区的研究人员试图重新审视“区域”的概念，并相互比较“S研究”。我们在开展这个项目时，计划建立以下四个目的：(1)文献收集，(2)田野调查，(3)地区研究人员之间的交流，(4)问题意识的分享和整合。经过三年的“项目”，我们可以说我们的项目已经按计划实施了。2009年最后一年，我们在东京大学小叶校区举办了一次研讨会，“来自区域研究的研究地点”。通过这次公开座谈会，我们能够与其他大学和研究所的讲解员们生动地讨论“区域”和“区域研究”。我们相信，我们不仅可以向公众展示这个项目的成果，而且可以为建立区域研究人员之间的网络做出贡献。我们正在准备发表这次研讨会和讨论的会议记录。我们的项目成员通过这个项目形成了一个具有多变性和多层次性的“区域”概念，为进一步的联合研究奠定了基础。为了通过比较研究获得更多的结果，我们认为未来继续这一项目是很重要的。

In this project, ten researchers who specialize various kinds of region tried to reexamine the very concept of "region" and to compare each other"s research. When we carried out this project, we planned to set up the following four purposes : (1)collections of literatures, (2)fieldworks, (3)exchanges among area studies researchers and (4)sharing and integration of an awareness of issues. After three years" project, we could say that our project has been implemented according to our plan. We held a symposium, "From the research sites of area studies", at the University of Tokyo, Komaba campus in the final year, 2009. Through this open symposium, we were able to discuss lively about "region" and "area studies" with the commentators from the other university and institute. We are sure that we could not only show the results of this project to the public, but also contribute to build the network among the researchers of area studies. We are preparing to publish the proceedings of this symposium and the discussion. Our project members become to share a concept about "region" with changeability and multilayerness through this project, laying the foundation of farther joint research. In order to obtain more results by comparative studies, we think that it is important to continue this project in the future.