Shunnosuke Okada

Shunnosuke Okada is a Professor at Waseda University's School of Humanities and Social Sciences, specializing in English literature with particular focus on T.S. Eliot and Thomas Carlyle. His academic career at Waseda spans from Research Associate (1995-1997) to his current position as Professor (2022-present), having previously served as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor. He holds a Master of Arts from Waseda University and completed doctoral coursework in English Literature at the same institution.

Okada's research interests center on English literature, religious thought, cultural studies, and literary theory, with special emphasis on the intersection of tradition, orthodoxy, and modernity. His work frequently explores comparative perspectives between Western and Japanese intellectual traditions, particularly examining T.S. Eliot's concepts of tradition alongside Kobayashi Hideo's Japanese literary criticism. His research projects include studies on T.S. Eliot, Thomas Carlyle, and the secularization of religion in modern British and American literature.

His scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with major figures in English literature, particularly focusing on how religious thought intersects with literary production. Recent publications examine Carlyle's interpretation of Muhammad through Edward Said's Orientalism framework, Henry James's Daisy Miller as diplomatic reference, and the relationship between tradition and orthodoxy in Eliot's work. His book The Western World and Japan: God and eight million gods (2023) represents a significant contribution to comparative cultural studies.

As an educator, Okada teaches across multiple levels at Waseda University, offering courses in English literature history, political literature, English studies seminars, and specialized research seminars. His teaching spans the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Global Education Center, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to literary studies.