M.A. Erik Isaksson

Ostasiatisches Seminar / Japanologie

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter

Politik und Wirtschaft Japans

Adresse

Arnimallee 10
Raum 205
14195 Berlin

Telefon

+49 30 838 918 501

E-Mail

e.isaksson@fu-berlin.de

Sprechstunde

Sommersemester 2026

Bitte vereinbaren Sie einen Termin per E-Mail (e.isaksson@fu-berlin.de).

Ausbildung

10/2020-	Promotionsstudium Graduate School of East Asian Studies, Freie Universität Berlin Berlin, Deutschland Erstgutachterin: Prof. Dr. Verena Blechinger-Talcott Arbeitstitel der Doktorarbeit: Performing the “Real Agent”: Status and Agency in Japan’s international relations 2006-2020
08/2014-07/2016	MA, Asian Languages and Cultures Department of Asian, Middle Eastern and Turkish Studies Stockholm University Stockholm, Schweden
10/2012-09/2013	Japanese Language and Culture Studies Program (MEXT Japan Studies-Stipendium) Hokkaido University Sapporo, Japan
09/2011-12/2011	Japanese Language and Japan Studies Program (Austauschsemester) Nihon University Tokyo, Japan
08/2010-06/2014	BA, Japanisch Department of Asian, Middle Eastern and Turkish Studies Stockholm University Stockholm, Schweden

Einschlägige Arbeits- und Lehrerfahrung

02-05/2023	Visting Research Fellow Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University Tokyo, Japan
06/2024-	Associate Fellow Österreichisches Institut für Internationale Politik Wien, Österreich
09/2023-06.2024	Ernst Mach Fellow Österreichisches Institut für Internationale Politik Wien, Österreich
12/2022-	Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter Japanologie, Arbeitsbereich Politik und Wirtschaft Japans Freie Universität Berlin Berlin, Deutschland
10/2022-12/2022	Lehrbeauftragter Japanologie, Arbeitsbereich Politik und Wirtschaft Japans Freie Universität Berlin Berlin, Deutschland
11/2020-	Associate Fellow Asia Program, Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) Stockholm, Schweden Projekte zu Die Rolle Schwedens auf der koreanischen Halbinsel (09/2021-09/2023) Chinabilder in Japan (03/2021-2022) Schweden-Japan-Beziehungen (05/2021-12/2021)
10/2020-	Visiting Ph.D. Student European Institute of Japanese Studies Stockholm School of Economics Stockholm, Schweden
01/2017-09/2020	Research Coordinator (Japan Center) / Outreach Coordinator (Institutsübergreifend) / Junior Research Fellow (China Center) Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) Stockholm, Schweden
08/2015-01/2016	Praktikant Asia Program, Swedish Institute of International Affairs Stockholm, Schweden
08/2014-01/2015	Praktikant Schwedische Botschaft in Tokyo, Abteilung für Wirtschafts- und Handelspolitik Tokyo, Japan

Stipendien

OeAD Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalization Ernst Mach Scholarship (09/2023-06/2024)
Toshiba International Foundation (TIFO)-Stipendium für Feldforschung (02/2023-05/2023)

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst-Graduate School Scholarship Programme (DAAD-GSSP) (10/2020-12/2021)
Einjähriges Japanstudien-Stipendium des japanischen Bildungsministeriums (MEXT) (10/2012-09/2013)

Forschungsschwerpunkte

Internationale Beziehungen (IB) Japans/Ostasien
Die Rolle von Narrativen, Diskurses, Status, Identität, Hierarchie in der IB
Japanische Politik (insbesondere die Interaktion einheimischer und internationaler Politik)
“Knowledge Regimes” in der IB

Publikationsliste

Hanssen, U., Isaksson, E., and Silberstein, B. (2026). Sweden’s path to diplomatic relations with North Korea, 1950–73. Cold War History. pp. 1-22, https://doi.org/10.1080/14682745.2025.2557493.

Isaksson, E. (2025). Enabling Japanese Support for Ukraine: The General Security Trajectory, Domestic Politics, and the Economy.” The European Institute of Japanese Studies, October 2025, https://www.hhs.se/contentassets/e733d6c4bbf04d1084fa5ca728b6bcec/eijs-policy-brief-october-2025.pdf.

Isaksson, E. (2025). Beyond ‘revisionism and status quo’: Japanese political party discourse on ‘international order’ and ‘Ukraine’. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 38(6), pp. 919–943. https://doi.org/10.1080/09557571.2025.2477797.

Isaksson, E. (2024). Identity Continuities, Far-Right Acquiescence, and the “New” and the “Old”: Finnish and Swedish NATO Accession and Neutrality. Oiip Policy Analysis 3 / 2024. Available at: https://www.oiip.ac.at/en/publikation/identity-continuities-far-right-acquiescence-and-the-new-and-the-old-finnish-and-swedish-nato-accession-and-neutrality/.

Isaksson, E. (2024). Japan’s Expanding Diplomatic and Military Horizons. Oiip Trend Report 5 / January 2024. Available at: https://www.oiip.ac.at/en/publications/japans-expanding-diplomatic-and-military-horizons/.

Isaksson, E. (2023). Japan’s New NSS: Zeitenwende or Time-Tested Tradition? H-Diplo|RJISSF Commentary Series (Februar). https://issforum.org/ISSF/PDF/RJISSF-Commentary-I-4.pdf.

Isaksson, E. (2022). ‘Sweden-Japan Relations: From economic partners to geopolitical allies?’ in Brinza, A., und Lungo, A. (eds.) Developing the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership: An analysis of European Union Member states' relations with Japan. Bucharest: Research Institute for the Study of the Asia-Pacific (RISAP), pp. 574-603.

Isaksson, E. (2022) Grand Strategy or Grand Identity? Narratives of “Universal Values” and Autonomy in Japanese Foreign Policy. Quaderni di Scienze Politiche 21/2022, pp. 95-113.

Isaksson, E. (2022). Longtime Democrat, Future Leader: The Particular Logic of Japan’s Values Discourse. UI Brief, no 2. 2022. https://www.ui.se/globalassets/ui.se-eng/publications/ui-publications/2022/ui-brief-no.-2-2022.pdf.

Isaksson, E. (2020). Overseas Chinese: Hostages of Geopolitics and Victims of Racism and Exploitation. ISDP Voices. https://isdp.eu/overseas-chinese-hostages-geopolitics-victims-racism/.

Isaksson, E. (2020). Ethnic Minorities and the Fight Against Poverty in China: the Case of Yunnan. ISDP Voices. https://isdp.eu/ethnic-minorities-and-the-fight-against -poverty-in-china-the-case-of-yunnan/.

Isaksson, E. (2020). China’s Environmental Protection Law and its NGOs: Onwards Together in the War on Pollution? ISDP Voices. https://isdp.eu/environmental-protection-law-war-on-pollution/.

Hagström, L. und Isaksson, E. (2019) Pacifist Identity, Civics Textbooks, and the Opposition to Japan’s Security Legislation. The Journal of Japanese Studies, 45(1), pp. 31-55.

Isaksson, E. (2018). If Not North Korea, Who Will Be Japan’s Chief Antagonist? The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/if-not-north-korea-who-will-be-japans-chief-antagonist/.

Isaksson, E., Vargö, L. und Palmbach, L. (2017). Japan and North Korea – Toward Engagement for Regional Security. ISDP Policy Brief no. 207. http://isdp.eu/publication/japan-and-north-korea-toward-engagement-for-regional-security/.

Isaksson, E. (2017). Uphill Climb for Maehara’s Democratic Party. ISDP Voices. http://isdp.eu/uphill-battle-maehara-japan-democratic-party/.

Isaksson, E. (2017). Abe Pushing the Reset Button – and Positioning Himself for Next Year? ISDP Voices. http://isdp.eu/shinzo-abe-new-cabinet/.

Isaksson, E. (2017). Tokyo elections: implications for Abe. ISDP Voices. https://isdp.eu/tokyo-elections-implications-abe-koike/.

Isaksson, E. (2016). Efter Abes möte med Trump: På samma våglängd? Utrikesmagasinet. http://www.utrikesmagasinet.se/analyser/2016/november/efter-abes-mote-med-trump-pa-samma-vaglangd/.