San Francisco’s “Comfort Women” Memorial: A local and transnational space

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

The San Francisco “comfort women” memorial, unveiled in a public park in September 2017, was commissioned by a multi-ethnic coalition with support from the wider community and in the face of concerted opposition by Japanese “denialists” and some local leaders. This city space is linked to other memorials and transnational campaigns, thus transcending national boundaries. Participants will discuss the creation of the memorial; the role of research, memory, and attempts to rewrite history; and how the memorial contributes to a transnational movement resisting state violence against women, past and present.

Sub Unit

• General Conference / SUBTHEME 06: Spatial Politics / Transgressing Borders

Moderator

• Tomomi Kinukawa, SFSU, UC Berkeley, CWJC

Presenters

• Tomomi Kinukawa, SFSU, UC Berkeley, CWJC

• Yi-Chun Tricia Lin, Southern Connecticut State University

• Margo Okazawa-Rey, Fielding Graduate University

• Gwyn Kirk, Women for Genuine Security