Ofuji, Keiko (Emeritus)

Lecturer Emerita in Japanese

kofuji@bates.edu

Keiko Ofuji is a lecturer in the Asian Studies Program. She studied linguistics and the teaching of second languages, methods of teaching Japanese, and Japanese art and literature at the University of Kansas, Cornell University, and Colombia University. She received her M.A. degree in East Asian Studies from the University of Kansas. Her Masters thesis wasDowa (Human Rights) Education through Children’s Books.

Keiko Ofuji’s research program focuses on Buraku Issues and sexual minority Issues as well as the current situation and problems of sexuality education in Japan. Her most recent ‘essays’ appear in “Japan, lesbian and bisexual youth,” “Japan, Gay and Transgender Youth in,” and “Japan, LGBT Educational Issues in” for Youth, Education, and Sexualities: An International Encyclopedia, Vol 1 A-J, (Greenwood Press: CT, 2005). Her most recent translation appears in “My Coming Out Story as a Gay Teacher in Kyoto” for The Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education : Vo.4, #2 (Harrington Park Press: NY, 2007). She has regularly written report-essays for a Japanese educational journal, Kikan Sexuality (Eidel Research Publishing: Tokyo) since 2005. Also, she translates and/or writes Japanese subtitles for English films (100% WomenBoy I Am, etc.) for the annual Kansai Queer Film Festival in Osaka, Japan.

Her teaching includes Japanese language courses at all levels and cultural courses on Japanese art and crafts as well as Japanese people and society including family, minority issues, education, conventions, and tradition. She also advises senior theses written in Japanese language.

Professor Ofuji\’s complete curriculum vitae