Shunji Ukai's Website

Shunji Ukai

Shunji Ukai is a Specially Appointed Assistant Professor of Center for Professional Development of Teachers at Shizuoka University (Japan). He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Oregon in 2024. His dissertation is titled "Dewey's Methodology," and his dissertation committee members were Scott Pratt, Mark Johnson, Erin McKenna, and Jerry Rosiek. His research focuses on the history of American philosophy and the philosophy of education, particularly examining the enduring significance and implications of John Dewey's philosophy in new contexts. Additionally, he is involved in the study of "human dignity" as it relates to Japanese public education, and works on a translation project in American philosophy.

Degrees

Ph.D. (Philosophy, University of Oregon)

M. A. (Education, Nagoya University)

B. A. (Anthropology, Grinnell College)

Affiliation

Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Center for Professional Development of Teachers, Shizuoka University (Apr. 2025-)

Part-Time Lecturer, Aichi Gakuin University (Sep. 2024-)

Research Fellow, Shizuoka University, Faculty of Education (Aug. 2023-Mar. 2025)

Research Projects

Philosophical Methodology

Shunji is interested in examining the history of western philosophy and the place of the notion of "method" in it. In his dissertation, he examined Dewey's engagements with "philosophic method" which extends from the 1880s to his most mature years in the 1940s. He is currently working on publishing the results of his studies, and to extend his studies to other methodologies.

Dignity Studies

Shunji works with a JSPS KAKEN project ”An Inquiry into the Social Implementation of the Concept of Dignity into School Curricula" which consists of Akira Yanagibashi (Ibaraki Christian University), Katsushige Katayama (University of Tokyo), Hiromi Ito (Sugiyama Women's University), Yukari Matsuzuka (Hitotsubashi University), Shuoyang Meng (Hitotsubashi University), and Motoki Fujii (Shizuoka University). Shunji is currently working on how "narrative inquiry" may serve as an adequate method to study "human dignity." Webpage for Dignity Studies: https://songengaku.jp/

Translation

Shunji is collaborating with Motoki Fujii (Shizuoka University) and Curtis Hutt (University of Nebraska, Omaha) to translate newly discovered primary texts in American philosophy.

Work in Progress

1. "Sense of Democracy Against Totalitarianism as a Way of Life," forthcoming.

2. Book Project: Dewey's Methodology

3. Translation project

Awards, Scholarships, Grants, etc.

1. JSPS Grant: "Narrative Inquiry as a Philosophical Methodology to Foster Democratic Values" (2025-)

2. Research Fellow for JSPS Grant: "An Inquiry Into the Social Implementation of the Concept of Dignity into School Curricula" (Aug. 2023-Mar. 2025)

3. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Sep. 2017-Jun. 2022)

4. Program for Leading Graduate Schools: Ph.D. Professional Toryumon (Oct. 2013-Sep.2017)