Joseph Hardy
Neesima and a brief history ofsocial welfare at Doshisha University
Katsunobu Kihara,Prof.
Doshisha Univ.

Life of JosephNeesima

“ a samurai”• born in 1843

• doubt of Japanese society in those days
• a growing awareness of Western culture andChristianity

His adventure,1864
He took the risk of leaving Japan for the UnitedStates in 1864, defying a strict overseas travel
ban put in place in the days of the Edo period.

• Wild Rover,• bound for Boston.

From samurai to Christian• He sold his sword(a symbol of the samurai andof his identity) to buy a Bible.
• He was baptized in 1866.
•• With the support of American Congregational
churches and A. Hardy (his American father)

His study in the U.S. (1864-1874)
・Phillips Academy (high school,~1867)
・Amherst College (university,~1870)
・Andover Theological School(graduate school,~1874)
He learned,advanced Western science and technology
a deep-rooted spiritual background ofChristianity in the U.S.

Established in 1875
• He returned to Japan after a ten year stayin the U.S. .
• established Doshisha-Eigakko, a precursor ofDoshisha, in 1875 with Kakuma Yamamotoand Davis.Died in 1890
• “Those who teach students must treat them
respectfully.” (a dying last wish) age 46-year• Nevertheless, those who shared his ambitionpassed on his legacy and established Doshisha
University in 1912.

History of Social Welfare Education atDoshisha• typical pattern from charity to social work inJapan.
• The historical progress pattern :• charity→ philanthropy→ social pathological orsocial movement approach→ public welfare
work in war time→ social welfare andprofessional social work

Summary of the history of social work
education at Doshisha• 1931: Social Enterprises Major in the Department ofTheology in the Faculty of Letters• 1941: Public Welfare Major in the Department ofCulture• 1944: Department of Public Welfare in the Faculty ofLaw and Letters• 1948: Social Welfare Major in the Department of
Sociology in the Faculty of Letters• 1950: Social Welfare Major in the Graduate Program(Graduate Education)• 2005: Department of Social Welfare in the Faculty ofSocial Studies

Theology connected:1931-41• Toyohiko Kagawa(1888-1960) was a part-time
professor, and some “big giants” ofpractitioners• Kosuke Tomeoka,(1864-1934)• Gumpei Yamamuro,(1872-1940)• Toraji Makino(1871-1964)• ,1941-44: Public Welfare Major in theDepartment of Culture• Katsuo Takenaka (1898-1959)• Aiji Takeuchi (1895-1980)• 1944 Public Welfare Major in the Faculty of Lawand Letters
crisis for social work education:
The period surrounding World War II
nationalism and totalitarianism1948-2005: Social Welfare Major in the Departmentof Sociology in the Faculty of Letters• Takenaka• Takeuchi• Munetsugu Obayashi（1884-1944)
Keiichiro Shimada（1909-2003）( a direct disciple of Kagawa)• Joji Ogura• Tatsuo Otsuka, Kei Sumiya, Shoji Igaki

established a graduate program• In 1950, Doshisha established a graduate
program with a social welfare major,
the first form of graduate education in social
work to appear in Japan.
• Doshisha invited an American clinical social
worker, Dorothy Dessau（1900－1980）their successors• And their successors
Prof. Okamoto, Ioka, ・・・・
And・・・・→

2005- : Department of Social Welfare
in the Faculty of Social Studies

Current curriculum of the Graduate
SchoolTheory of System of Social Policy and Welfare• Philosophy of social work
• History of Social Work
• Human service practice through Social Work withGroups• Christianity and Social Work• Community Based Social Work• Comparative Study of Social Security Schemes andWelfare Regimes• Field Work