The symposium addresses the critical intersection of postcolonial memory culture and the challenges faced by postmigrant societies. It builds upon the debates initiated by the so-called “Historikerstreit 2.0” in Germany.

Memorials such as the “Statue of Peace” (representing so-called “comfort women” – victims of forced prostitution during World War II by the Japanese military) symbolize the transnational memory activism for recognition and justice as they intersect with local histories and contemporary socio-political contexts. For instance, despite strong opposition, the Statue of Peace in Berlin, has survived for more than four years because it points to gaps in the German memory culture, ranging from sexual violence and colonialism to the precarious realities of everyday life for (post-)migrants. It is part of a number of post-colonial and post-migrant projects of memory and historical reconciliation, whose aim it is to change the established memory landscape, such as the renaming of streets, the establishment of archives and the erection of monuments.

How do such global and transnational memory projects intertwine with local histories and contexts? How are they transformed by these local contexts and how do they transform the space around them? What kind of spaces do they provide? What mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion are at work in the memory landscape?

The aim of this symposium is to discuss the potentials and limitations of global-local memory work for advancing the memory culture and to identify specific obstacles.

Memory work takes place within highly interdisciplinary humanities (anthropology, art, area studies, history, political science, sociology, law etc.). We therefore highly welcome interdisciplinary approaches that deal with these topics.

Key Themes and Areas of Interest:

We invite paper submissions that address the following themes:
- Transnational memory activism of the “comfort women”
- Local specificities and translocal connections of “comfort women” memorials
- The role of state and non-state actors in memory activism
- Case studies of postcolonial and postmigrant memory work in Germany
- Counter-reactions to memorial projects
- The intersection of postcolonial and postmigrant memory cultures in different local contexts
- The role of art and activism for memory culture

Submission Guidelines:

- Abstract Submission Deadline: October 31, 2024
- Symposium Date: December 2-3, 2024
- Location: University of Leipzig, Germany

Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words to dorothea.mladenova@uni-leipzig.de. Selected participants will be notified by November 10, 2024. We look forward to your contributions.