Nanako Inaba

Nanako Inaba is Professor of Sociology at Sophia University's Faculty of Global Studies, where she has served since 2015. Previously, she held academic positions at Ibaraki University (1998-2015) and conducted research at French institutions including Université de Paris VII. Her work bridges academia and activism through leadership roles in Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan and Anti-Poverty Network.

• Director, Sophia University Global Concern Institute (2017-2019)
• Visiting Researcher, Institute for Advanced Study of Social Sciences (2022-2023)
• Visiting Researcher, University of Paris 7 and Toulouse (2022-2023)
• Japan Academy Special Committee Member (2023-present)

Professor Inaba's research examines social exclusion through comparative studies of social movements in Japan and France. Her work focuses on undocumented migrants' resistance, anti-neoliberal activism, and housing rights movements. Current projects investigate Olympic-related displacement, migrant care workers, and hunger strikes in immigration detention centers. She employs participatory action research methodologies that integrate academic analysis with community organizing.

Her recent publications reveal growing emphasis on transnational care chains, gendered migration experiences, and pandemic impacts on marginalized communities. The trajectory shows increasing engagement with policy advocacy alongside scholarly work, particularly regarding immigration detention reform and housing justice.

Professor Inaba currently leads multiple JSPS-funded projects examining Mediterranean migration dynamics, undocumented migrants' resistance tactics, and occupational mobility barriers. Her lab operates as a hub for activist-scholars through The Circle Lab, facilitating collaborations between Japanese and international researchers.

She mentors students through critical pedagogy that connects classroom learning with frontline activism. Her approach emphasizes developing 'critical imagination' to envision alternatives to neoliberal social structures while maintaining rigorous academic standards.