Shinji Sato is the Director of the Japanese Language Program at Princeton University.  He completed his Ph.D. in anthropology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University and specializes in educational and linguistic anthropology. His works critically examine self-evident notions in Japanese language education including learning, culture, communication, competence, and creativity. He also proposes alternative classroom practices.

Sato is the co-author of several publications, including  文化、ことば、教育 [Culture, Language, and Education: Beyond Japanese “Standard”] (Akashi shoten, 2008),  社会参加をめざす日本語教育  [Japanese Language Education for the Global Citizens] (Hituzi shobo, 2011), and Rethinking Language and Culture in Japanese Education (Multilingual Metters 2014). He is currently editing books on welfare linguistics, ecological approach, and language education.  

Sato has taught Japanese at Columbia University, Harvard University, HIF (Hokkaido International Foundation), and Middlebury College Summer Language Program.