Research Summary

In Namibia, the !Xun and ǂAkhoe, regional minorities and hunter-gatherers, and the Owambo, majority agro-pastoralists, have been negotiating for centuries. We will focus on how this relationship has been restructured since Namibia’s independence in 1990. Therefore, we will conduct action research with graduate students from the University of Namibia and Kyoto University, where co-tutelle is promoted, to facilitate inter-ethnic exchange among children. On the behavioral aspect, we will identify changes in children’s eating habits due to the promotion of agricultural practices and weaning foods. On the language aspect, we will analyze the practices of multilingualism in early childhood education, which is aimed at reconciliation among ethnic groups. On the institutional aspect, we will discuss the reorganization of children’s identities in line with the revitalization of traditional culture.

Research Theme: Main Research Topic

Socialization of behavior: Dietary changes due to agricultural and weaning recommendations

Embodiment of language: Analysis of Multilingual Use in Early Childhood Education

Internalization of institution: Identity reorganization associated with the promotion of traditional culture

Reports