Over the past four decades, East and Southeast Asia have seen a proliferation of heritage sites and remembrance practices which commemorate the region's bloody conflicts of the period 1931-45. Remembering Asia's World War Two examines the origins, dynamics, and repercussions of this regional war "memory boom".
The book analyzes the politics of war commemoration in contemporary East and Southeast Asia. Featuring contributions from leading international scholars, the chapters span China, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, covering topics such as the commemoration of the Japanese military's "comfort women" system, forms of "dark tourism" or commemorative pilgrimages (e.g. veterans' tours to wartime battlefields), and the establishment and evolution of various war-related heritage sites and museums. Case studies reveal the distinctive trajectories of new and newly discovered forms of remembrance within and across national boundaries. They highlight the growing influence of non-state actors over representations of conflict and occupation, as well as the increasingly interconnected and transnational character of memory-making. Taken together, the studies collected here demonstrate that across much of Asia the public commemoration of the wars of 1931-45 has begun to shift from portraying them as a series of national conflicts with distinctive local meanings to commemorating the conflict as a common pan-Asian, or even global, experience.
Focusing on non-textual vehicles for public commemoration and considering both the local and international dimensions of war commemoration within, Remembering Asia's World War Two will be a crucial reference for students and scholars of History, Memory Studies, and Heritage Studies, as well as all those interested in the history, politics, and culture of contemporary Asia.
Industry Reviews
'A welcome series of informative essays about war memory in East and Southeast Asia. The authors insist on place -- seeing Asian commemorative practices in their own national and transnational terms rather than as refractions of European experience -- and time -- showing that the memory surge of the 1990s had a history long predating the end of the Cold War. A timely intervention in the politics of war memory in Asian and global context.'
Carol Gluck, Professor of History, Columbia University, USA
'Here in Japan, intentional or unintentional erasure of war-related history is rapidly advancing in our educational institutions, where teachers are obliged to adhere to "political neutrality". This book thoughtfully analyzes the focus, intentions and methods of conflict commemoration across East and Southeast Asia, showing the fraught state of heritage politics throughout the region. It reminds us that the pursuit of truth, rejection of erasure, and reconciliation beyond national boundaries will never be achieved through an insistence on keeping history monolithic and static.'
Tomoko Ako, University of Tokyo, Japan
'[The book] provides a strong foundation for understanding the newly-developing dimensions of Asia's memory formation, and how different countries are putting forth different strategies towards reconciliation with their difficult histories.'
Hyun Kyung Lee, International Journal of Heritage Studies
