This research investigates alternative approaches to memory studies by examining the transmission of war memories from perspectives that extend beyond the framework of nationalism.
Specifically, it employs international comparisons of the current practices surrounding the narration and sharing of war experiences. Scholars of collective war memory have argued that memories of wartime suffering are frequently appropriated within nationalistic narratives, contributing to structures that impede reconciliation. In response, this study shifts its focus from competitive victimhood to the possibilities for sharing war-related trauma across borders. The narration and representation of trauma play a crucial role in processes of recovery and mourning, particularly in relation to wartime violence, including sexual violence. While the transformation of traumatic memory into narrativized memory is a profoundly personal act, numerous scholars have emphasized that this act also constitutes a form of cultural and historical expression. Accordingly, trauma should be approached not solely from a medical standpoint but also through the lenses of the humanities and social sciences.
This collaborative project involves two primary case studies. Professor Ochi will examine practices of war tourism in Japan and Germany, while Professor Ishii will conduct case studies on familial transmission of war memories in China. Together, they will explore how war trauma is narrated and shared both in the public domain of tourism and the private sphere of the family. Through this inquiry, the project aims to illuminate the ethical and social significance of sharing pain with others and to clarify the broader implications of engaging with global war memory.
