About
Masato Hase is a Professor at Waseda University's School of Culture, Media and Society within the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences. His academic career spans several decades with a focus on sociology, media studies, and visual culture. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of Japanese television, film, and visual media history, with particular expertise in the social dimensions of media consumption and production.
- 1986: Master's degree from Osaka University, Graduate School, Division of Human Science, specializing in sociology
- 1983: Bachelor's degree from Waseda University, Faculty of Literature
Professor Hase's research interests center on the sociological dimensions of media and visual culture. He examines how television, film, and digital media shape and are shaped by Japanese society. His work explores concepts such as vernacular modernism, media solitude, and the transformation of visual culture in the digital age. He has made significant contributions to understanding the historical development of Japanese television culture, particularly from the 1970s onward, and has analyzed the social implications of reality television, drama, and visual representation.
His extensive publication record reveals a consistent focus on media sociology, with particular attention to Japanese television dramas (especially those by Taichi Yamada), visual culture, and the sociological implications of media technologies. His work spans historical analysis of media development, theoretical explorations of media concepts, and contemporary examinations of digital visual culture. A recurring theme is the examination of how media creates both connections and solitude in society, challenging conventional understandings of media's social role.
- Editorial committee member of the journal "Eizogaku" of the Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences (2006-2011)
- Japan Sociological Association Research Activities Committee (2006-2009)
- Active member of both the Japan Society of Image Arts and the Japan Sociological Association
Professor Hase has received multiple research grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, including projects on "Genealogy of Solitudes in Media Cultures" (2018-2021) and "Selfie Media Culture History" (2021-2024). His teaching portfolio includes courses on Media Sociology, Television Culture, and Visual Media Studies, where he guides students through comprehensive examinations of media's role in contemporary society.