The Role of Japanese Baseball in Japan’s Political Development

Major: East Asian Studies and Politics

Award: Barbara Yen Sun prize

Study Abroad: Associated Kyoto Program, Japan

I am a current senior and a double major in East Asian Studies and Politics. I am deeply interested in continuing my research, an exploration of the significance of Japanese baseball in Japan’s political development, and plan to use the award to enable the pursuit of a greater understanding of the field.

My interest in Japanese baseball stems from my childhood experience as the daughter of a naval officer living in Tokyo. After matriculating to Mount Holyoke, I decided to explore this interest on an academic level. I spent a year in Kyoto through the Associated Kyoto Program, during which I conducted ethnographic observations and deepened my knowledge of Japanese language and culture.

I plan to pursue a career in US-Japan bilateral relations, hopefully as a diplomat for the United States government.