In Conversation with Prof Tomoko Okagaki: State Socialisation: Japan's Conformity to International Law (OxIRSoc)
Japan’s integration into international society has long been shaped by processes of state socialization, where norms, rules, and expectations influence its diplomatic conduct. From historical efforts at international reconciliation to contemporary regional dynamics, how has Japan navigated pressures to conform while forging its own path in global affairs? What lessons can be drawn from Japan’s experience for broader discussions on international political reconciliation?

Professor Tomoko Okagaki (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a leading scholar in international politics at Dokkyo University, specializing in state socialization, comparative regionalism, and the political thought of international relations. She is the author of The Logic of Conformity: Japan’s Entry in International Society (2013) and Basis of International Politics: Foundational Concepts and Theories (2021). Her extensive academic career includes visiting positions at Harvard University, the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and Oxford, where she is currently focusing on British approaches to international relations theory and the politics of reconciliation.
Date: 25 February 2025, 17:00
Venue: Manor Road Building, Manor Road OX1 3UQ
Venue Details: Seminar Room C
Speaker: Prof Tomoko Okagaki (Dokkyo University)
Organising department: Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR)
Organiser: Haitong Du (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: exec.committee@oxirsoc.com
Host: Haitong Du (University of Oxford)
Part of: Oxford International Relations Society
Booking required?: Not required
Booking email: exec.committee@oxirsoc.com
Audience: Public
Editors: Haitong Du, Mirabai Venkatesh