Mieko Yoshihama

Professor Mieko Yoshihama is a faculty member at the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, where she conducts research and teaches courses on social work practice, gender-based violence, and community organizing. With over 25 years of experience combining research and social action at local, state, national, and international levels, Dr. Yoshihama focuses on the prevention of gender-based violence and promotion of safety and wellbeing for marginalized populations and communities.

Education:

• PhD in Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles (1996)
• MSW in Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles (1986)
• BA in Literature and Linguistics, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan (1984)

Dr. Yoshihama's research interests center on violence against women, immigrants, mental health, and community organizing. Her methodological approach is diverse, spanning from participatory action research to surveys with complex sampling design, from epidemiologic investigation to intervention/prevention research. She has conducted studies including a nationwide survey in Japan, research on Japanese American women in Los Angeles, and Life History Calendar studies of battered women in Michigan, Tokyo, and San Francisco. In Michigan, she directs participatory action research projects aimed at organizing and mobilizing local community members to prevent domestic violence, including developing communications campaigns in local Indian communities.

Her extensive publication record demonstrates a strong focus on intimate partner violence in immigrant communities, particularly Asian Indian communities, with emphasis on community readiness assessment, culturally relevant prevention strategies, and the intersection of violence with mental health outcomes. She has pioneered the use of PhotoVoice methodology and interactive theater (Peerformance) as tools for community engagement and prevention across multiple cultural contexts.

Scientific Awards:

• 2021 SSW Distinguished Faculty Award

Dr. Yoshihama serves on the steering committee of the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence and on advisory committees of various organizations dedicated to ending domestic violence. Her research has been supported by organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CE000507-04). She has mentored PhD students including Joyce Lee and Sara Stein, and collaborates extensively with researchers across disciplines on projects related to refugee health, gender-based violence, and community organizing.

She teaches courses including Participatory Facilitation, Introduction to Social Work Practice, Essentials of Interpersonal Practice, and specialized courses on Gender-Based Violence and Photovoice methodology, demonstrating her commitment to training the next generation of social work practitioners and researchers in community-based, culturally responsive approaches.