About Staff

Rural institutions imply a variety of rural customs, organizations and systems such as family and social exchange system, labor organizations and customs, land system, credit customs and organizations, organizations for irrigation, and so on. Rural institutions have been formed historically and are changing with different speed depending upon the characteristics of each institution. My lifetime research interest is to clarify how such rural institutions and economic development are (or have been) interacting in Asia. A second research interest of mine is to clarify the direction of socio-economic change and development in contemporary rural Asia, with a focus on mainly India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. My third research interest is on the socio-economic dynamics in border areas in Asia, with special emphasis on Myanmar migrant workers in the border areas with Thailand. Primary data collection and analysis through fieldwork is my basic research method and style regardless of the concrete research topic.

My research topics at present include: 1) The transformation of rural economies in Bangladesh and India under rapid urban-based economic development and the newly emerging issue of income disparity; 2) Structure and transformation of contemporary Myanmar economy, with special emphasis on rural economy; 3) Rural credit markets and the impacts of microfinance in Laos and South India (Tamil Nadu); 4) Myanmar migrant workers in border areas with Thailand (Ranong and others).