Michael Dziesinski

My name is Michael Dziesinski.

I have lived in Japan about five years in total and studied Japanese culture for almost twelve years. My first four was as an undergrad with a Major in Sociology (Japan Focus) and Minor in East Asian Religions and even got to do a stint of study abroad in Tokyo.

After graduation, I was a participant of the Japanese Exchange Teaching Program, JET, where I was a middle school teacher in Japan's public school system for three years in Shikoku Japan from 1997-2000.

I earned a Masters in Sociology in Spring 2008, and Masters in Asian Studies in Fall 2008 at the University of Hawaii.

I am currently a 4th year PhD student in Sociology at the University of Hawaii. In late 2009 I will be starting two years of dissertation research in Tokyo.

My focus has always orbited around Japanese culture, but after the experience of teaching in Japan, I have become acutely concerned with issues that trouble Japanese youth today.