We asked the two students who were selected for FY2025 Integrated Research Project about various aspects of the project. Please take a look!
【Researcher Name】
PRATAMA DENNY RIEZKI (Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Global Society , Department of Integrated Sciences for Global Society)
XIAO YANGGUANG (Graduate School of Human‐Environment Studies, Department of Urban Design, Planning and Disaster Management)
【Integrated Research Title】
Inclusivity and Inequality: Examining Built Environment and Marginalized Groups’ Strategies for Equitable Public Health in Fukuoka City
【Research Abstract】
This study examines the relationship between marginalized communities and the built environment in Yoshizuka and Hakozaki, Fukuoka City, and how it affects communities’ resilience in public health issues. Foreigners and immigrants are marginalized groups in the city due to sociocultural, institutional, and spatial factors. However, in Yoshizuka, there is a market that supports foreigners. In Hakozaki, there is a mosque that provides spaces for the Muslim community. The study explores the interplay between the built environment and marginalized groups’ resilience on public health and equitable access in the city.
Below: PRATAMA DENNY RIEZKI → DP, Xiao Yangguang → XY
Q1. What prompted you to start this joint research?
DP: Initially, it started as a discussion through Slack on our common research interest and questions on the issues of “build environment,” “resilience,” and “public health.” Through discussion, we find out that our own research methods can benefit and complement each other. Being migrants ourselves, the research subject also has subjective significance for both of us.
XY: We began discussing our shared research interests through the SPRING Slack workspace. Although I specialize in urban spatial planning and my partner in cultural anthropology, we found that our methodological and disciplinary differences complemented each other. This led to the formation of an integrated research idea that combines spatial data analysis and qualitative fieldwork, aiming to better understand health-related spatial inequality experienced by foreign residents in Fukuoka city. I think that the most important driving factor for me is to start this research project.
Q2. How did you feel about being selected for the Integrated Research Project?
XY: I felt honored and excited. It gave me confidence that our proposal was not only academically meaningful but also socially relevant. I also realized the responsibility of delivering quality results. I believe this project will be a valuable opportunity to deepen interdisciplinary collaboration and grow as a researcher.
DP: Of course, I feel very happy! I feel very honored that the SPRING office accepted our Integrated Research Project proposal. However, at the same time, I also feel the responsibility to deliver reliable research that has impactful and meaningful results.
Q3. What is the current progress of your joint research?
XY: We’ve collected 175 questionnaires and geolocation points from foreign residents in Fukuoka city and conducted on-site field visits and interviews in Hakata ward and Higashi ward, Fukuoka city. Currently, we are also waiting for a reply from the government bodies and formal institutions regarding our written inquiries. Our next step is to synthesize the data for spatial and statistical analysis and reflect the findings into meaningful policy insights.
DP: Now, I am analyzing the qualitative data from observations and interviews. Currently, we are also waiting for the reply from the government bodies and formal institutions regarding our written inquiries. The overall progress is around 50-60%.
Q4. What new “insights” have you gained while conducting joint research?
DP: During our research, we have had the opportunity to meet a lot of immigrants in Fukuoka City. Their stories of hardship, determination, hope, and optimism living in this city really inspire me. For me, it is not only the humans who interact with each other in the city, but the city also interacts with its inhabitants, co-producing hopes, networks, and resilience to carry on despite the circumstances.
XY: I’ve learned that the built environment is not just a physical space, but a social and cultural construct that shapes resilience. Parks, markets, and religious spaces serve as resilience hubs for marginalized groups. Combining my spatial analysis with my partner’s ethnographic perspective helped reveal the human stories behind the data.
Q5. What are some of the difficulties of joint research that you did not think of when you were planning (applying for) this project?
DP:Yes, one challenge is the formalities we have to go through. Through these challenges, I learned a lot about conducting research in Japan. More importantly, some places required strict procedures for conducting field research, while others did not, and we sincerely appreciate the warm reception and support we received.
XY: We didn’t expect administrative and ethical challenges, such as gaining informed consent for GPS tracking or accessing NGOs and government data. This process taught us a lot about research ethics and the legal context of public space in Japan.
Q6. What is the reaction of your academic advisors and the members around you in the lab?
XY: My supervisor and peers have been very supportive. He specializes in urban space and marginalized communities, so their advice has been invaluable. My lab mates also helped with data validation and translation.
DP: My supervisor and lab friend are all being very supportive: making sure the paperwork is done, providing suggestions, and advice.
Q7. How do you actually conduct this joint research? (online, get together in a lab, etc.)
XY: We worked online via Slack and LINE, but prioritized brainstorming and fieldwork in person. I mainly handled GIS and survey design, while my partner led the interviews and ethnographic observation. We collaborated closely in each stage of the process.
DP: We also had to recruit research supporters to help us conduct the research. They are Fujita-San and Jo-San, without whom we cannot conduct this research according to plan. We visit the research sites and conduct the fieldwork for a month. We use questionnaires to conduct surveys and ask semi-structured questions for interviews. We use our smartphones for geotagging, and our senses to observe and experience the built environment.
Q8. How did you spend your research budget? What could you do/what would you like to do if you had another research budget?
XY: We used the budget for research assistants, transportation, and software licenses. With extra funding, we would like to invest in data sensors, continue engagement with foreign communities, and possibly involve professional analysts for advanced modeling.
DP: I think we would like to spend it on big data of migrants’ movements, provision of gadgets for geotagging, and intensive fieldwork.
Q9. Do you think there is a good chance of presenting this joint research at a conference or writing a paper? What percentage do you think there is?
XY: There’s a high chance of about 80-90% in my view. We are preparing for an international conference submission and drafting a co-authored paper.
DP: Yes, I believe there is a good chance for this research result to be presented and published. In my opinion, the changes are 90%. We will do and hope for the best.
Q10. What are your future prospects and aspirations for this joint research?
XY: We aim to propose urban policy recommendations to make Fukuoka City more inclusive and resilient. In the future, we hope to expand this project to include cross-city comparisons or applications in disaster vulnerability contexts.
DP: We also hope that our findings can contribute to the improvement of the built environment and the quality of life of migrants in Fukuoka City and Fukuoka Prefecture, as in general, making the city more just and inclusive for all of its residents.
Q11. What are your dreams for the future and what kind of person do you both aspire to be?
DP: I want to keep producing knowledge and keep contributing, not only to the scientific society but also to the general society. I aspire to make real contributions by producing impactful research and disseminating meaningful results to the public.
XY: I aspire to become a practical researcher who contributes to solving real-world problems. I want to be someone who brings human voice into urban planning and connects spatial data with people who have lived through experiences.
Q12. Please leave a message for the program students who follow to take on the challenge of the Integrated Research Project and joint research.
DP: Just go for it! If you have met your prospective partners and found your common interest, or common subject to study, then you just have to follow through. I believe the journey will be rewarding, not just intellectually, but also in terms of your personal growth.
XY: Don’t be afraid to collaborate across disciplines. It’s not always easy, but it brings unexpected discoveries. Be open-minded, respect your partner’s methods, and take the leap— you won’t regret it.
