Dr Ben Moeller

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies.

My DPhil dissertation at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, supervised by Prof. Roger Goodman, explored the social and political tensions exposed by an ambitious military buildup announced by the Japanese government in 2022. Prompted by a spate of scandals emerging from the country’s Self-Defense Forces since then, the dissertation traces how Japan’s postwar military grew so out of touch with society despite a notoriously strict system of civilian control.

My research interests revolve around how militarisation affects social stratification across society, with a particular focus on the role militaries play in shaping ideas on gender, merit, history, and statehood. I primarily make use of qualitative methods, such as participant observation and interviews, to show how government policies and institutions affect these processes.

I have held visiting research positions at the University of Tokyo, Keio University, Sophia University, and Freie Universitaet Berlin. Prior to my doctoral research I worked for the Fukushima Prefectural Government in Japan as a Coordinator for International Relations.