Co-hosted by SOAS and the Northeast Asian History Foundation, this conference brings together prominent scholars on the “comfort women” issue and broader topics of wartime sexual violence, along with expert discussants from a variety of relevant fields.
In an era where historical revisionism and political tensions increasingly shape narratives of the past, this event provides a valuable opportunity for intercontinental dialogue on one of the most contested historical justice issues in East Asia.
The conference will critically examine how the histories of wartime sexual violence have been documented, interpreted, and contested across different national and political contexts. While survivor testimonies have played a central role in shaping both historical narratives and advocacy efforts, recent years have seen intensifying challenges to recognition and redress, as well as a growing international disengagement from the issue. Discussions will address historical revisionism, the impact of diplomatic negotiations, the evolving landscape of memory activism, and the broader implications for global debates on sexual violence and transitional justice.
Presentations will be conducted in English and Korean, with simultaneous interpretation provided to facilitate meaningful discussion among European and Korean participants from diverse academic backgrounds. By fostering dialogue among leading experts and bridging perspectives across regions, this conference aims to advance a deeper and more sustained engagement with the history and legacy of the “comfort women” issue.
The Northeast Asian History Foundation (NAHF) is a South Korean public institution established in 2006 with the purpose of promoting nuanced historical understandings and addressing contested interpretations of Northeast Asian history. Through extensive research, publications, and conferences, the foundation seeks to bridge historical divides and encourage transnational collaborative scholarship, thereby contributing to peace and prosperity in the region.
Programme
| Time | Topic | Presenters |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00pm-12:20pm | Welcoming speeches – SOAS Centre for Korean Studies / Northeast Asian History Foundation | |
| Part 1: Politics of Memory | ||
| 12:20pm-12:50pm | Contradictory Memories: Narratives of Japanese Veterans on the ‘Comfort Women’ | Yonson Ahn (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main) |
| 12:50pm-1:20pm | In/Visibility: Nazi Sexual Violence and Allied Rape in the German Debate since 1945. | Regina Mühlhäuser (Hamburger Stiftung zur Förderung von Wissenschaft und Kultur) |
| 1:20pm-2:00pm | Discussion: Chris Deacon (SOAS), Jocelyn Xu (University of York) | |
| Part 2: Universal Women’s Rights Discourses and Ongoing Colonialism | ||
| 2:20pm-2:50pm | International Norms on the Suppression of ‘Human Trafficking’ and Colonialism, The Emergence of the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ System (인신매매 억제 국제규범과 식민주의, 그리고 일본군 ’위안부’ 제도의 출현) | Park Jung-Ae (Northeast Asian History Foundation) |
| 2:50pm-3:20pm | Coloniality and Postcoloniality in the Discourse on Women’s Human Rights in the 20th Century (20세기 국제여성인권 담론의 식민성과 포스트 식민성) | Kim Eun-Kyung (Hansung University) |
| 3:20pm-4:00pm | Discussion: Vladimir Tikhonov (University of Oslo), Satona Suzuki (SOAS) | |
| Part 3: Commemoration and Responsibility | ||
| 4:10pm-4:40pm | Innocent Victims, Heroic Survivors, and Monstrous Perpetrators: How memorials tell stories about sexual violence | Harriet Gray (University of York) |
| 4:40pm-5:10pm | History Beyond the Statue: 50 Years of Migrant Women’s Activism and Berlin’s Statue of Peace | Hong Nammyong (TU Berlin) |
| 5:10pm-5:50pm | Discussion: Hyun Myung-Ho (Northeast Asian History Foundation), Yoon Walker (SOAS) | |
| 5:50pm-6:00pm | Closing Remarks | |
[Header image credit: ‘Statue of Peace Berlin’ photo by Nikolai Johnsen]