HIST 486T(F) Historical Memory of the Pacific War (W)*
Over half a century after Japan's surrender, the issue of how to remember the Pacific War continues to raise controversy both within Japan and between Japan, Korea, and China. This tutorial will consider how individuals, groups of individuals, and nations construct and reconstruct historical memories by examining how various Japanese have sought to remember the Pacific War. In the first section of the course, we will discuss theoretical writings on the psychology of memory, the social and political construction of historical memory, and the distinctions between official, collective, and historical memory. The second section will consider Japanese historical memory of the Pacific War, focusing on how Japan's unique position as both wartime aggressor and victim has shaped debates over the portrayal of the War in Japanese museums, movies, comic books, textbooks, and the Hiroshima peace memorial park. The third section of the course will examine the mnemonic sites contested by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese memories by discussing issues pertaining to military comfort women, the Rape of Nanking, history textbooks, Yasukuni shrine, and the politics of apology. Themes will include how the construction of memory is linked to the nation, how the passage of time influences the construction of historical memory, and the dilemmas of coming to terms with pasts contested both within and between countries. Format: tutorial. Requirements: students will meet with the instructor in pairs for an hour each week. Each student will write and present orally a 5- to 7-page essay every other week on the readings assigned for that week. In alternate weeks, students will be responsible for offering an oral critique of the work of their partner. Students will be evaluated on their written work and their analyses of their partner's work. There will a final paper (15 pages) on the themes of the course. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 10 (expected: 10). Preference given on the basis of preparation for the course, previous academic performance, and demonstrated commitment on the topic. Open to all. Group C