Satoru Niwa worked as a photojournalist before and during his master’s degree in Visual and Media Anthropology. He wants to use his work to draw attention to pressing social issues. In his thesis, he examined, among other things, social exclusion and homelessness in his hometown of Tokyo. He tells us here what valuable things he learned from his studies and what plans he has for the time after his master’s degree.
You recently submitted your master’s thesis. Congratulations! Tell us more about your topic!
Thank you very much. My topic is socio-spatial exclusion and homelessness in Tokyo. Using collaboratively created maps, my thesis examines how social exclusion is embedded in urban space in the context of the Tokyo Olympics and how it affects the lives and culture of the homeless. The thesis also tries to foreground the personal identities and political constitution of people stigmatized as homeless by describing their ethnographies.
You also work as a photographer. When did you start taking photographs? And what inspires you the most?
To be precise, I am a photojournalist. Since 2010, I have been reporting on social issues using photography. The great thing about this job is that you get to know a lot of people at work that you wouldn’t meet in everyday life. Many of the people I met on the ground were in difficult situations, but I learned a lot from their attitude, which aims to stay strong. I can say that these experiences are an enrichment for my life.
Why did you choose to study “M.A. Visual and Media Anthropology“?
When I worked with a world-renowned American photojournalist in 2014, I was disappointed by his unethical work practices and approach, which seemed to represent the contradictions of photojournalism and media: excessive demands on visual aesthetics and focus on commercial aspects. Since then, I have been looking for alternative ways to visualize social issues in ways other than through a photojournalistic form. During this process, I came across the VMA program by chance and decided to start my master’s studies.
Which experiences/courses/projects during your studies do you think will benefit you most in your future professional life?
What I learned in the Digital Anthropology course about conducting online research and visually representing research findings will be critical for anthropologists in the Covid-19 era, and in that respect, I think the course made a lot of sense.
Satoru Niwa
What do you like most about your studies/the course in general?
Although we only had one in-house workshop because of the pandemic, the two weeks were very fulfilling. The challenge of making a short film in a small group taught me how difficult, but above all how exciting, it is when people from different cultures and backgrounds work together to create a common product.
What advice do you have for (prospective) students who are thinking about studying Visual and Media Anthropology at the Media University?
If you want to learn how to apply anthropological knowledge and methods to the art world or social practices, this program is for you. Have fun!
Satoru Niwa
What are your plans for the future?
I will start my PhD in Anthropology at Kyoto University in April this year. I think that more specialized and in-depth academic knowledge will make my work more compelling. I want to develop what I learned in the VMA program and continue to advance my research and artistic work.
Thank you for telling us about your experience. We wish you all the best for your PhD and your future projects.
