The winner of the 2014 First Terada Mari Japan Study Award, Professor Doak specializes in the study of nationalism and democratic thought and culture in modern Japan, as well as in the literary, cultural and philosophical expressions of public thought and values. He is co-editor of The Journal of Japanese Studies and sits on the executive board of the Society for Japanese Studies. His writings in Japanese have been prominently published in major Japanese newspapers and journals and cited by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his book Atarashii Kuni E (2013). Professor Doak's current research focuses on issues related to politics and religion (especially Catholicism) in modern Japan, ranging from jurisprudence, fiction and literary works, and theology. He has been widely published in the Japanese leading newspapers and media.