Today, we seem to suffer from a hypertrophy of memory, not history.” (Huyssen 2003: 3)
In this class, we will look at the cultural and political aspects of history: What is the relationship between history and memory and how has it changed over the last century? What role has collective memory come to play in a society? What shifts are currently taking place in the realm of collective memory?
Using the of the contested memory of the so-called “military comfort
women” as a case study, this seminar explores the significance of
memory in historical narratives, political discourses, and cultural
representations. We will examine how memory is shaped, negotiated, and
instrumentalized by different actors – governments, civil society, and
cultural producers. The course will introduce key theoretical approaches
to memory studies, including collective memory, historical revisionism,
and mnemonic activism. A central theme will be “comfort women”
memorials and their impact on memory politics in Japan, South Korea, the
US and Germany. We will analyze the transnational/translocal character
of the memorials and place them within local cultural contexts.
Through discussing current trends in memory culture such as the
postcolonial shift, the historian’s dispute 2.0 and the post-migrant
shift, students will gain a comprehensive insight into current debates
and learn to reflect on them critically. The course encourages
interdisciplinary perspectives and fosters a critical understanding of
historical responsibility and its contemporary ramifications.
- Trainer/in: Mladenova Dorothea