ASIA 105War and Memory in Asia: Twentieth Century and beyond

3 credits · Asian Studies · Penn State

The history and memory of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Nanking massacre, the Cambodian genocide and other forms of mass violence are often taught separately in different disciplines within Asian Studies and beyond. This course will examine them together through the various ways different Asian societies dealt with, experienced and understood them. Using the extensive literature on the history of genocide, this course further suggests the mutual impact of these entangled tragic events. Specific content will vary according to individual instructor, but topics may include victim cultures, ethnic cleansing, trauma, human rights, dark tourism, memorials, and architecture, as well as the general impact of these tragedies on Asian and global politics.