On Wednesday 21 October, Kyoto University's Tokyo Office hosted the second installment of its 19th lecture series, "Families: Where Are They Headed?", organized as part of its Tokyo de Manabu Kyoto no Chi ("Learning in Tokyo About the Latest from Kyoto") program.
Keeping to the theme of "Families", Professor Kimio Itoh of the Graduate School of Letters lectured on "Diversifying Families and Family Policies". He discussed diversification of families in the current social environment with a focus on how men and women relate to marriage, parenting, and work, citing historical facts and drawing comparisons with other countries, including France and Italy. The lecture also covered ongoing and expected trends of social and political significance, including those related to workforce participation by women, the declining birthrate, immigration, and sexual minorities.
Audience members listened to the lecture with rapt attention and asked wide-ranging questions during the Q&A session, which sparked lively discussion.
Lecture attendees
Professor Itoh delivering his lecture
