Back in January, I was a panelist at Waseda University's Global Institute for Asian Regional Integration, invited to give an "activist's perspective" to an academic crowd.
Academics are a tough audience. In a way, they're the activist's antithesis. Researchers must offer "dispassionate" analysis — looking at data without taking any sides or showing any "bias." This means academics often view the fight for human rights fundamentally differently.
For example, when I talk about the nationwide spread of "Japanese Only" exclusionary signs, academics often become doubting Thomases. To them, a few signs up are not necessarily indicative of a trend. Their issue is a matter of degree — i.e. are there enough signs up to demonstrate, say, "statistical significance"? For the activist, however, it's a matter of incidence. One "Japanese Only" sign is too many. Even one sign is enough to violate the Japanese Constitution and United Nations treaty.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.