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LUJ Sociology Class Assists Homeless Organization in Ueno
On November 5 and 12, Dr. Edgar Peláez, LUJ's Assistant Professor of International Relations, took his SOC 280 Sociology of Japan students on a field experience to take action on understanding current social issues outside of the classroom.
LUJ students joined the Tokyo Spring Homeless Patrol, a non-profit, volunteer organization, to bring food and other necessities to the homeless people around Ueno Station.
For Dr. Peláez, it was an opportunity for students to be more immersed in the themes of the class: "The role of sociology is understanding social phenomena, aiming to look for solutions, and contributing to the general improvement of society, so it is crucial that students see with their own eyes problems like social stratification, and reflect on how they can contribute toward developing a better society."
Although homelessness is not a consistently covered issue here in Japan, it still exists, and global inflation on food prices has only made helping those less fortunate even more of a priority: "As guests in Japan," says Dr. Peláez, "helping those who need it is the way in which we can give something back to Japanese society."
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tokyo Spring Homeless Patrol has been helping the homeless in Shinjuku on Sunday nights, Ueno on Wednesday nights, and "stretches of the Tama River" twice a month. Due to government and media neglect, the leader of the Patrol, Sulejman Brkic, has made it a duty to continue the effort, usually with a different set of volunteers each time. “We have been seeing a greater sense of vulnerability and insecurity since the pandemic," says Brkic, speaking to The Japan Times last December, "especially among the working poor and particularly among women.”
For those who are interested in helping, Tokyo Spring is always open to volunteers and donations. Visit their Instagram page for more details.
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