Share your thoughts on living in Japan

My name is Tristan Ivory. I am a PhD student in Sociology at Stanford University but have a Visiting Researcher affiliation with the University of Tokyo for 2011-2012. I have come to Japan in order better understand the needs and issues of people from Africa who are living in Japan. In particular, I am interested in hearing from people about their individual experiences both before and after arriving in Japan. As we all know, there are some negative perceptions that people in the West have about Africa and it’s people. I hope that by showing a wide variety of experience with honesty and depth, some of that ignorance can be replaced by knowledge. With your help, this will be possible.

I must stress that I am conducting this research on my own and am not tied to any government or research group. All discussions and statements that you may have with me are private and confidential and no one’s actual name will be used in any written accounts. I would very much appreciate meeting with you at some point in time over coffee to discuss your experiences in Japan. If you have any further questions, I will be most happy to answer them. I hope this finds you well and I appreciate your time and consideration.

Peace and blessings

Tristan Ivory
PhD Candidate
Department of Sociology
Stanford University
Visiting Scholar (2011-2012)
Institute of Social Science