Ryo Onozato

Research Interests

Social Movement Theory, Disability Sociology. Within social movements, I am particularly interested in direct action employing non-institutional tactics. While direct action may elicit negative reactions characterised by terms like nuisance or radicalism, it also garners fervent support as the most radical means of existing social transformation. I examine the potential of direct action as a means to address social problems unresolvable through institutional channels.

Furthermore, within the theme of social movements, my research has focused on the disability rights movement. Specifically, I am studying the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (전장연), a disability rights movement employing direct action as its tactic. The ideal of 'coexistence' between disabled and non-disabled people, which many unquestioningly hold as an ideal, has limitations when approached solely through institutional means. Using Jeonjangyeon's direct actions as a case study, I aim to explore what it truly means to live alongside people with different attributes.

Contact

onozato.ryo.s2(at)dc.tohoku.ac.jp
・Please replace (at) with @.

Research Categories

[Social Movement Theory][Korean Society][Sociology of Disability]

Biography

■Education
March 2021: B.A., School of Social Sciences, Waseda University
September 2022~March 2023: Korea University (KLC)
March 2024: M.A., Graduate School of Social Sciences, Waseda University
April 2025 ~; Present: Ph.D. Program, Department of Integrated Human Sciences (Sociology), Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University

■Professional Experience
April 2021~ August 2021: Teaching Assistant, School of Social Sciences, Waseda University
April 2024~March 2025: Teaching Assistant, Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University

■Academic Societies
Tohoku Sociological Association
The Japan Sociological Society
The Association for Contemporary Korean Studies in Japan
The Japan Society for Disability Studies

Research Achievements

■Thesis
Onozato, Ryo. 2025. South Korean University Students' Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Social Movements

Onozato, Ryo. 2024. “A Study on the Protest Consciousness of Korean University Students: Focusing on the Formation of Sentiments After the Impeachment Demonstrations Against Former President Park Geun-hye.” M.A. Thesis, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Waseda University.

■Conference Presentations
Onozato, Ryo. "Disability rights movement halting the underground – The form of struggle adopted by the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination."98th Annual Meeting of the Japan Sociological Association, Nov 15&16, 2025

Onozato, Ryo. “How Do Korean University Students Interpret Social Movements? ; Choosing the Role of a Bystander in the Context of Polarization.” 70th Annual Meeting of the Tohoku Sociological Association, July 13&14, 2024.

■Other
2025.2-2026.2 Amnesty International Japan Youth Representitive
2026.3- Amnesty International Japan International consultation committee

Grants and Fellowships

Advanced Graduate School Researcher Development Program (AGS RISE Program)