The academic field focused on LGBTQ identities takes an interdisciplinary approach to examine the social, cultural, psychological, and political dimensions of sexual orientation and gender identity. Its aim is to understand LGBTQ experiences, analyze their representation, and uncover mechanisms of marginalization and discrimination. Queer theory, gender studies, and affirmative psychology all contribute to the development of this field.

Cultural psychology explores how culture shapes human thinking, emotions, and behaviour. It argues that psychological processes are not universal but are deeply influenced by cultural contexts. Researchers interpret individual experiences within their social and cultural environments. This discipline emphasises the mutual shaping of culture and mind.

Psychoanalytic anthropology examines human cultures and societies through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, with a focus on unconscious processes. The works of Sigmund Freud, such as Totem and Taboo, laid the foundation for this approach, linking individual psychic structures to collective cultural phenomena. Its aim is to uncover how instincts, repressions, and fantasies are reflected in myths, rituals, and social norms. Although Jacques Lacan rejected the term, followers like Paul-Laurent Assoun expanded Freud’s cultural analysis within a psychoanalytic framework.

Within psychoanalysis, this field examines and applies psychoanalytic theory and practice in the context of Japanese culture, philosophy, and social norms.

Adapting Western Psychoanalytic Concepts in Japan:

How are key concepts from Freud, Jung, and other psychoanalysts—such as the Oedipus complex, the ego, or the shadow—modified or reinterpreted in light of Japanese culture? What unique challenges and opportunities arise when applying Western theories in an Eastern society?

The Influence of Japanese Culture on Psychic Functioning:

Which specific cultural factors—such as collectivism, the desire for harmony, the role of shame, or the influence of Zen Buddhism—affect individual psychic processes, personality development, and the manifestation of mental disorders in Japan?

The Relationship Between Japanese Psychotherapeutic Methods and Psychoanalysis:

Are there traditional Japanese therapeutic approaches (e.g., Morita therapy, Naikan therapy) that relate to or complement psychoanalytic principles in some way?

Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Japanese Art, Literature, and Mythology:

How are psychological themes and dynamics reflected in Japanese creative works? What psychoanalytic insights can be gained from analysing Japanese folktales, legends, or contemporary art?

The History and Development of Psychoanalysis in Japan:

Who were the key figures in this field in Japan? How did psychoanalytic thought emerge and evolve in Japan through the interaction of Western influences and local cultural characteristics?

The psychology  of religion is a branch of psychology that studies religious beliefs, experiences, and behaviors through psychological theories and methods. It explores how faith, spirituality, and religious practices influence personality development, coping mechanisms, and mental health. This discipline also investigates the psychological roots of religious phenomena and their connections to broader human cognition and emotion.

The discipline of social traumatization explores how collective trauma arises from systemic violence, discrimination, and historical injustices affecting entire social groups. It examines the psychological, cultural, and sociopolitical consequences of events such as war, forced migration, genocide, and oppression. This interdisciplinary field integrates insights from psychology, sociology, history, and trauma studies to understand how societies process and narrate shared suffering.