Kyoko Nakamura, PhD., is a Professor at the Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Toyo University, Japan. She has been conducting research among pastoral communities in Kenya. Her research interests are age system and life-course changes, tourism and culture, and body adornments and beads.

Kaori Miyachi is a visiting researcher at Saga University, Japan. She conducted research on gender and reproductive health issues in Asian, South American, and African countries. She also worked in the international NGO, UN, JICA projects, and several universities to promote gender equality.

Yukio Miyawaki, PhD., is a Professor at the Graduate School of Sustainable System Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan. He majors in area studies and cultural anthropology. He has been studying agro-pastoral societies in Ethiopia, focusing on their natural resource utilization, historical memories, and the effects of agricultural development projects on their societies.

Makiko Toda, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Faculty of Contemporary Society, Kyoto Women's University, Japan. She majors in comparative politics and international relations. She has been studying ethnic relations, political system, gender issues in Africa, especially in Nigeria, Kenya, and Rwanda.