Acknowledgements

「汝の農場をもって神の栄光を表わせ」 ‘Reveal in Thine Farm the Glory of the Creator’

-Ainou Gakuen Founding Principle

Crouched over a row of carrots in the humid heat of the Japanese summer, I was weeding

along with two others. The heat was almost unbearable, and the row seemed to stretch on. I stood up to provide relief to my limbs and my back. Suddenly, a fresh breeze sprung up from nowhere. It rustled past the trees and whispered across the stream; it brought relief from the intense heat. And in that moment, I recognized my, our, smallness in the face of nature. Here I was, struggling with some weeds in a small field. I felt humbled. Strangely enough, in that moment I felt at peace with the universe. Farming does that to you.

My first experiences with agriculture came through my parents, whose work meant that my sister and I would more often than not be spending our vacations in small agricultural communities in West Bengal of India. I believe that farming still provides me with a way of connecting back to my family, to those times and experiences. I would like to thank my parents and my sister for their love and support, and for encouraging me to pursue my dreams.

One of my hopes is that I can make the reader interested enough in the question of food sovereignty to do something about it. This thesis is incomplete; it is not possible to understand and convey the farmers in their entirety: their warmth, their dedication and passion, and their sincere wish to make the world a better place for all of us. I sincerely wish that the reader visit a farm nearby, or a farm mentioned in this thesis (I have used real names within this work) in order to find out for herself what I have been so lucky to experience.

For my research, I am indebted to the farmers in the Yasato region for allowing me a glimpse into their lives and for welcoming me into their community. Particular thanks must go to Shunsuke Iwasaki and Misako Iwasaki for kindly allowing me to stay with them and set up base. The various conversations that we had were enriched by their profound knowledge and enthusiasm. I would also like to thank Takao Furuno of Fukuoka, Koutaro Sakamoto of Hiroshima, and Yuuki Uehara of Ehime along with their families. This work would have been impossible without their valuable insights and interesting work. I am also a graduate of Ainou Gakuen Agricultural High School, which has allowed me to access information about organic agriculture as a way of life.

Much of the heavy lifting was done at International Christian University. I would like to thank Professor Malarney for his guidance and sound advice in writing this thesis. More than that, I would like to thank him for the sense of purpose that he has given to all academic pursuits. ICU truly is a place to foster ‘responsible global citizens’. I would like to offer my special thanks to the staff at ICU Religious Center, Naomi Kazama and Emiko Yamamoto, and Reverend Shoko Kitanaka, for their unfailing kindness and support, and for seeing me through one of the most challenging periods of my life.

My life at ICU has been made possible through the donation of many generous people, and to them I extend my sincerest thanks. I would also like to mention the generous scholarships of The Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Scholarship and the Ningenjuku Foundation. The Ningenjuku Foundation in particular has allowed to be where I am today.

And finally, to my friends and special people, who were patient and kind even as I grew testier as deadlines approached. Thank you for making my years at ICU a rich learning experience to treasure forever.