Document Type
Interview
Loading...
Publication Date
2-8-2026
Abstract
Stephen S. Fugita, Ph.D. is Distinguished Professor of Social Sciences, Emeritus, at Santa Clara University, where he held a joint appointment in Psychology and Ethnic Studies. He joined the SCU faculty in 1990 and played a central role in the development and growth of the Ethnic Studies program.
Dr. Fugita earned his B.S. from The Ohio State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. Prior to joining Santa Clara University, he taught at the University of Akron, UCLA, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
A nationally recognized scholar of Japanese American history and community life, Dr. Fugita’s research focuses on the long-term social and psychological effects of World War II incarceration on Japanese Americans. He served as Associate Director of the Pacific/Asian American Mental Health Research Center and as Research Director of Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project.
He is co-author of several influential works, including The Japanese American Experience (1991), Japanese American Ethnicity: The Persistence of Community (1991), and Altered Lives, Enduring Community: Japanese Americans Remember Their World War II Incarceration (2004). His scholarship integrates social science research with community-based historical documentation, contributing significantly to the understanding of ethnicity, identity, resilience, and collective memory.
Dr. Fugita has also served on the board of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and on the Scholarly Advisory Board of the Japanese American National Library.
Recommended Citation
Pope, Ellie, "Fugita, Stephen, Psychology and Ethnic Studies, interviewed by" (2026). Living History Project: Stories that connect generations. 17.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/living_history/17
Comments
Interviewer: Ellie Pope - Gerontology minor