Daisaku Ikeda (b. 1928) is an international Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, prolific author, and the founder of the secular Soka kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, women’s college and universities in seven countries across Asia and the Americas. He has emerged as an important educational philosopher and practitioner whose perspectives on dialogue, value-creation (soka), global citizenship, and the deep inner transformation he calls "human revolution" have informed the curriculum and instruction of thousands of teachers not only at the Soka schools, but also at numerous non-Soka schools and universities around the world.
This volume brings together, for the first time in English, international scholars’ empirical and theoretical analyses of Ikeda’s contributions to language and education in a global context.
This book was originally published as a special issue of Critical Inquiry in Language Studies.
1. Daisaku Ikeda and Language: An Introduction Jason Goulah
2. Daisaku Ikeda and the Culture of Translation Andrew Gebert
3. A Moral Cosmopolitan Perspective on Language Education Gonzalo Obelleiro
4. Realizing Daisaku Ikeda’s Educational Philosophy Through Language Learning and Study Abroad: A Critical Instrumental Case Study Jason Goulah
5. Ikeda Research in China and Taiwan: Critical Analysis of the Chinese Language Literature Nozomi Inukai
6. Daisaku Ikeda’s Educational Philosophy in the Context of English Education Policy in Japan Kazuma Hatano
7. Daisaku Ikeda’s Philosophy of Soka Education in Practice: A Narrative Analysis of Culturally Specific Language Julie T. Nagashima
8. Media Review: Soka Education: For the Happiness of the Individual Sonia Nieto
Biography
Jason Goulah is Assistant Professor and Director of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director of World Languages Education at DePaul University, USA. His research interests include transformative learning approaches to second and foreign language education, Makiguchi and Ikeda studies in education, language, culture, identity and multiple literacies. His research has appeared in numerous journals and edited volumes. He was awarded the 2009 Stephen A Freeman Award from the Northeast Conference of Teachers of Foreign Languages.
