Dr. Keishin INABA is Professor of Faculty of Human Sciences, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University in Japan.
He studied religions at University of Tokyo and obtained his PhD in the sociology of religion at King’s College, University of London in 2000. He is the author of several English and Japanese books on religion and altruism. He is one of the organizers of the Japan Religion Coordinating Project for Disaster Relief, launched in response to the massive earthquake in northeastern Japan on March 11.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Keishin-Inaba
Research topics
altruism, civil society, religion as social capital
Sociology, Religious studies
Employment Record
Kobe University, Faculty of Human Development, Associate Professor 2003.04 - 2007.03
Kobe University, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Associate Professor 2007.04 - 2010.03
Osaka University, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Associate Professor 2010.04 -2016.03
Osaka University, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Professor 2016.04 -
Book on Altruism
Altruism in new religious movements: The Jesus Army and the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in Britain by Keishin INABA, Ph.D.
ISBN 4-88730-604-0
By presenting the case study of two new religious movements, the Jesus Army (the Jesus Fellowship Church) and the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, this book examines whether Christianity and Buddhism change people's attitudes of mind and behaviour towards altruism, what factors bring this about, and the ways in which the two religions change members, attitudes towards altruism.
Contens
1. Introduction
2. Survey of Literature
3. History and Characteristics of the Jesus Army
4. History and Characteristics of the FWBO
5. Social Composition of the Jesus Army and the FWBO
6. Attitudes and Values of Members
7. Altruism in the Jesus Army and the FWBO
8. Motivation for Altruism
9. Development of Altruism
10. Conclusions
“Dr Inaba provides one of the first in depth comparative study of altruism in relation to Buddhist and Christian new religions. The topic - a comparative study of altruism in a Buddhist and Christian new religion - is not only original but is also researched with great thoroughness. I recommend this book unreservedly to all those interested in and involved in the study of new movements of a religious or secular kind in the knowledge that they will find in it many new insights and much that is stimulating and relevant to their own research.”
- Peter B. Clarke, Professor emeritus, of the history and sociology of religion, King’s College, University of London and Professor in the Faculty of Theology University of Oxford.
“The thesis provides a clear, detailed and original descriptive account of two new religious movements in comparative perspective. The movements, one Christian, one Buddhist, are similar in number of important respects and therefore well chosen for comparative analysis. The account provided here facilitates comparison between these two and other new religious movements. The principal research methods employed were questionnaire survey and structured interviews of a good sample of members. Rich, original material is yielded and analysed to good effect. The somewhat abstract notions of altruism and altruistic action are carefully considered in relation to such matters as theodicy, motivation and predisposition to altruism among members. Though the starting hypothesis is not sustained by the evidence, the author acknowledges this. The value of the thesis remains in the evidence presented for and against the hypothesis and the careful and lucid evaluation of the evidence.!
”
- Dr. Bryan Wilson, University of Oxford & Professor Brian Bocking, SOAS, University of London
------------------------------------------
The Practice of Altruism: Caring and Religion in Global Perspective
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 9781904303954
Binding: Hardback
Editor: Ruben L.F. Habito and Keishin Inaba
Date of Publication: 2006-06-01
The study of altruism and altruistic behavior has caught the attention of socialscientists especially in recent years. What motivates individuals to cultivate attitudes and actions that promote the wellbeing of others at the expense of, or at the risk of negative consequences for their own?
In our contemporary global society marked by conflict and violence among different sectors of the population in various regions of the world, and wherein religion can be a factor that exacerbates such conflict and violence, harnessing the power of religion towards directions of reconciliation, creativity, and altruistic action, remains a crucial task for humankind.
This volume addresses a question especially relevant in our day: do people who profess religious commitment or affiliation in a particular religious community tend to nurture altruistic kinds of attitude and action more than others? Social scientists present results of their empirical studies on Japanese society, as well as on North American, European, Indian, and Thai societies, to focus on this issue and offer insightful reflections on the relationship between religion and society.
Main Published Papers in English
・Keishin Inaba,‘From Disparities in Compassion to Mutual Support: Pinning Hope on the Social Contributions of Religion’Dharma World, Jan.-Mar. 2010 Vol.37, pp.14-17
・Keishin Inaba,‘Altruism, Religion and Implicit Spirituality in Japan’The Proceedings of the 1st International Academic Interchange Meeting between the Graduate School of Human Development & Environment, Kobe University and the Institute of Education, University of London "The Contribution of University to Civil Society", Kobe University, March.2008 pp.96-110
・Keishin Inaba, Altruism in new religious movements:The Jesus Army and the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in Britain ISBN 4-88730-604-0, 2004.
・Keishin Inaba, Altruism and Religion in Europe: Theoretical Perspectives of Motivation, in D. Jerolimov et al. eds, Religion and Patters of Social Transformation, (ISBN 953-6218-16-X) 2004, Institute for Social Research pp.207-220.
・Keishin Inaba, Conversion to New Religious Movements: Reassessment of Lofland/Skonovd Conversion Motifs and Lofland/Stark Conversion Process, 2004.
･Keishin Inaba,Meaning and Construction of Altruism in New Religious Movements’ 2003.
・Keishin Inaba, Voluntary Work, Altruism and Religion in Europe, Informationes Theologiae Europae, Peter Lang、Nov.2002 pp.35-46.
・Keishin Inaba, Altruism and charitable activities of new religions in Japan: Theoretical perspectives, Asian Cultural Studies. Vol. 27. March 2001 pp.2-18.
・Keishin Inaba, A Comparative Study of Altruism in the New Religious Movements: With special reference to the Jesus Army and the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, 2000.PhD thesis of King’s College, University of London.
･Keishin Inaba,‘Review: Prophets of Peace’, Social Science Japan Journal. Vol.5 (1), March 2002 pp.132-134.
・Keishin Inaba,‘Review: A Bibliography of Japanese New Religious Movements’, Journal of Contemporary Religion. Vol. 15 (3), Sept. 2000 pp.446-448.
