Lecture by Thomas on His Career and Insights

Introduction

• Speaker: Thomas
• Roles: Associate professor, researcher, teacher at Nidai
• Location: Chiba, Japan
• Guest: Host from Tokyo Makari You guitar

Early Life

• Birthplace: London, 1978
• Family: One brother and one sister
• Parent's Status: Mother passed away in 2020, father alive and healthy
• Father’s Profession: Lawyer, focused on legal aid and professional defense

Education and Career Path

Childhood Interests

• Not academically inclined in certain subjects like math
• Preferred history and languages
• Influenced by grandfather, teacher of Latin and Greek

Formal Education

• Dropped subjects like math and science at 16
• Focused on French, German, politics, and government
• University at Bradford
• Intended to be a translator but found it lonely

Career Decisions

• Internship in Germany at Siemens
• Decided against interpreting/translating
• Went to Japan through the JET program (2000)

Life and Work in Japan

Cultural and Language Learning

• Lived in Tottori Prefecture
• Initial struggles with Japanese language
• Engaged in language exchange programs

Academic and Research Work

• Teaching: English and Japanese history courses
• Research: History, mainly focusing on historical figures
• Classes: Mix of English and Japanese languages, classes of 30-40 students

Publications

• African Samurai: Resurrects the figure of Yasuke, a historical African samurai
  • Controversial due to recent game portrayal, Assassin's Creed
  • Received mixed reactions
• Gentleman from Japan: Focuses on two young men in Elizabethan England

Personal Insights

• Influence of early computer games and historical fiction
• Reflections on education and self-awareness through observing his children
• Advocated for understanding political systems and cultural history in academia

Closing Thoughts

Advice to Younger Self

• Take things less seriously in some areas, more seriously in others
• Recognizes the universal challenge of older advice being ignored

Current Focus

• Promoting latest book ’Gentleman from Japan’ through talks and podcasts
• Emphasis on continuous learning and cultural curiosity

Final Remarks

• Thomas emphasizes optimism and continued pursuit of knowledge and history
• Encourages exploration and respect for historical figures and their stories

Upcoming Events

• Talk at Tokyo American Club

Contact and Further Information

• Active presence on podcasts and upcoming talks
• Engages in various platforms to promote historical knowledge