国際社会学の試みIV個人と複数社会との望ましい関係の模索 : 複数共同体志向・個人主義志向に関するモデル  [in Japanese] In Pursuit of the Desirable Relationships of an Individual with His (or Her) Plural Societies : Four models concerning the inclination either toward plural communities or toward individualism  [in Japanese]

Is there a desirable attitude of an individual towards life and society in the 21st Century as a preliminary step in the construction of an agreeable world order that benefits most people on earth? Starting with an affirmative premise to this question, the author presents four models to explore the answer from the point of view of individualism and collectivism, the dichotomy often discussed in sociology. The four models are (1) Attachment toward Plural Societies Model (Concentric Cercles Model), (2) Individualistic Model (Flower Model), (3) Individualistic amd Network Model (Chain of Flowers Model), and (4) Integrated Model of (1) and (3). The author argues that both individualism and collectivism are necessary for people living in the 2lst Century. He arrives at the provisional conclusion that Model (4) describes the most desirable attitude of a person because it combines the characteristics of Model (1), which are collectivistic and altruistic, and those of Model (3), which are individualistic and associational. The idea of the author behind this preferable Model (4) is that each individual is able to live two levels of life according to his will and situation at the time. In this form the author encourages more collectivistic and altruistic attitudes to modern men and women who may be in reality more prone to individualistic and associational attitudes.