Thomas Blackwood is a Professor of Sociology and Social Psychology at Tokyo International University. He obtained his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan in 2005. In addition to his Ph.D., Dr. Blackwood has an M.A. in Japanese studies from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in East Asian languages and civilizations from the University of Chicago.Before coming to TIU, Dr. Blackwood worked at a number of universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. He is also on the international editorial boards of Social Science Japan Journal (Oxford University Press) and Japan Forum (Routledge). As a sociologist focusing on Japanese society, Dr. Blackwood’s research fits into a number of areas within sociology and Japanese studies, including immigration and detention, education and stratification, sports, gender, mass media and popular culture. His current research is focusing on the lives of undocumented foreigners in Japan. Dr. Blackwood has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed academic journals, and has presented his findings at academic conferences around the world.