240064 SE VM1 / VM5 - (Disputed) places of national memories and commemorative cultures in East Asia (2025S)

The objective of this course is to evaluate and classify the ongoing repercussions of selected places of national memories and commemorative cultures in East Asia on national societies and current politics on regional and global level. The commemorative cultures and conflicts have in common that they continue to impact both national and international cultures of remembrances. Therefore, selected cultures of remembrance will be reviewed, and the effects on national and regional politics and society will be shown. In doing so, the principles of justice, reconciliation and restoration of peace and stability will be emphasized. Subsequently, the continuing consequences of the different national memories on international relations in East Asia will be discussed.

Specifically, this seminar addresses two conflicts in East Asia which are remembered differently by different nations and societies: the Japanese war crimes committed during the Second World War and the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia (1975–1979).

In the first two units, the convenors will provide an overview about politics of remembrance and commemorative cultures, the two case studies and the methodology of role playing. Subsequently, the students will decide which case they want to analyze in more detail. They will work in one or two groups (depending on the number of participants), following the principle of guided self-study and research into the overall context of the conflict, its ongoing repercussions as well as the key actors and their narratives.

There exist different inclusive methods and formats for achieving reconciliation: a truth and reconciliation commission, a negotiation simulation or an international tribunal. Thereby it is essential that the central stakeholders and their narratives are represented realistically in these role-plays, i.e. according to their interests and real (political) influence. The convenors will guide the students in the process of selecting the most appropriate simulation method for promoting a national reconciliation, which advantages and disadvantages it has, and in defining the roles of the stakeholders.

* Japanese War Crimes during the Second World War
Up until today, many Japanese politicians and citizens deny or relativize the serious human rights violations committed by Japanese troops in East Asia during the Second World War, especially in China and on the Korean peninsula. In particular disputed is the sexual exploitation of the so-called comfort women. – In this module we will analyze how the commemorative cultures in China and South Korea deal with these crimes. This will be contrasted with the culture of remembrance of the Second World War and the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both in official Japan and by civil society actors. It also examines the ongoing impact of Japan's failure to come to terms with its wartime past on its current relations with China and South Korea, and how this failure affects international relations in East Asia in general.

* The genocide in Cambodia (1975–1979) committed by the Khmer Rouge
According to estimates, up to 2 million Cambodians fell victim to the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror in the 1970s. The genocide of the Pol Pot regime became an issue of national debate only in the 1990s. Due to the resistance of the Cambodian political leadership under Prime Minister Hun Sen, it was the international community which played a driving role in publicly discussing and remembering the genocide and punishing those responsible for the atrocities. Today, numerous museums and memorials bear witness to the human rights crimes, which are strongly anchored in the everyday consciousness of the Cambodian citizens. – This module will additionally address the reasons for the failure of the international community to halt the genocide in the 1970s.