Momoko Kitada

PhD Social Sciences, Cardiff University
MSc/Dip Social Science Research Methods, Cardiff University
BSc Maritime Sciences, Kobe University
3rd Deck Officer License

Country of Citizenship: Osaka, Japan

Current Job: Lecturer at World Maritime University (WMU), Malmö, Sweden

Momoko Kitada is a former female seafarers and her research interests lie in women seafarers and their identities as well as a multi-cultural work environment on board vessels. She also teaches cultural issues in the maritime community and other social aspects in Maritime Education and Training (MET) at World Maritime University.

In 2005, Momoko completed her one year onboard training as a deck cadet just after the graduation from the Faculty of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, Japan with an honours degree in Maritime Sciences. Momoko holds a certificate of competence as a deck officer. Under the sponsorship from Nippon Foundation, she completed a diploma in Social Science Research Methods at Cardiff University, UK, and worked on the research project, ‘Women Seafarers and their Identities’. In 2010, Momoko received a Ph.D. degree in Social Sciences from Cardiff University and her thesis was supervised by Professor Helen Sampson (the Director of the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC)) and Professor Teresa Rees (Pro Vice Chancellor (Research) - Cardiff University).

Momoko is currently working as a lecturer at WMU. Her previous work experiences include several major Japanese companies and organisations of trading, manufacturing, banking, social welfare and international aid (1994-2003); voluntary work activities in the Department of Conservation of New Zealand (1998); national leader of the 13th ‘Ship for World Youth’ programme (2000) sponsored by Japanese government; internship work at Japanese Shipowners’ Association, London (2003); IAMU research project (2003-2004); writer for the monthly shipping magazine ‘Kaiun’ (2007-2009); visiting lecturer at Kobe University, Japan (2007-2009) and at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2009); research associate at WMU (2011-2013).

Thesis title: Women Seafarers and their Identities

Click here to view Momoko's full thesis.

Publications

Kitada, M. (forthcoming) Rethinking the occupational culture of seafaring: challenges in the new era of cultural diversities. Ocean Law, Society and Management: Ocean University of China.

Kitada, M. (2011) A Summary of the PhD Research Project ‘Women Seafarers and their Identities’. Cardiff University.

Kitada, M. (2011) Strategies against Pirates in the Case of CEC Future: Reports from the Seafarers’ Welfare Seminar. Captain No.403(06/07).

Kitada, M. (2011) Current Issues and Future Visions of Women Seafarers: Swaying Identities. Captain No.402(04/05).

Kitada, M. (2010) Women Seafarers and their Identities. Ph.D. thesis. Cardiff University.

Kitada, M. (2009) Risking marriage and family: maintaining seafarers’ gender identities. Maritime Matters in the 21st Century, The 1st SIRC-Nippon Fellow Maritime Conference, 22 January, ISBN 1-900174-36-7 and online at www.sirc.cf.ac.uk

Kitada, M. (2007-2009) A monthly book review on European & American maritime literature. Kaiun. No.952-987 (36 months).

Presentations

Kitada, M. (2010) ‘Establishing a Network for Women in Male-dominated Professions – The Case of Women Seafarers’, The 2nd International Symposium of the Female Scientists Support Unit (FSSU): Network, Footwork and Teamwork – Beyond the Bias and Barriers 2010, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan, 9 November.

Kitada, M. (2009) ‘Finding Self between Ship and Home: Women Seafarers’ Identities’, The 7th European Feminist Research Conference, Gender Studies Program (Utrecht University) AOIFE, ATHENA, Utrecht, Netherlands, 4-7 June.

Kitada, M. (2009) ‘Women seafarers’ identity management strategies’, Women of the Sea, Gender Seminar Program, the Department of Shipping and Marine Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, 18 May.

Kitada, M. (2009) ‘Belonging to both camps – the management of women seafarers’ gender identities between ship and shore’, Gender Futures: Law, Critique and the Struggle for Something More, Research Centre for Law, Gender and Sexuality, Westminster University, London, UK, 3-4 April.

Kitada, M. (2009) ‘Women seafarers in the gales of a man’s world – the political strategies for their gender identity management’, 9th ACS Women’s and Gender Studies Conference: The Personal is Still Political – Gendered Identities in the 21st Century, The Associated Colleges of the South and Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 6-7 March.

Kitada, M. (2009) ‘Social Scientific Research into Seafarers in the UK’, The Kenichi

Koyama Foundation Seminar Series, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, 14 January.

Kitada, M. (2008) ‘Women Seafarers and their Identities’, Graduate Research and

Presentation Day, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, 9 May.

Kitada, M. (2008) ‘Voyage from the Sea of Fukae to the Ocean: For the Renaissance of Sciences’, Career Café (“Female Researchers Support Kobe Style” seminar series), Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, 11 January.

Kitada, M. (2007) ‘The occupational culture of seafaring’, The Kenichi Koyama Foundation Seminar Series, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, 19 December.