Routledge Handbook of Trauma in East Asia

The "Routledge Handbook of Trauma in East Asia" is a comprehensive scholarly work edited by Tina Burrett and Jeff Kingston. Here is a detailed overview of the book:

Key Themes

1. Interdisciplinary Approach: The handbook employs an interdisciplinary perspective, incorporating insights from anthropologists, historians, film and literary critics, scholars of law, media, education, political scientists, and sociologists. This approach enhances understanding of the region’s traumatic pasts and their ongoing legacies.

2. Traumatic Pasts: The book explores trauma in East Asia from the 19th to the 21st century, examining how victims, perpetrators, and societies have responded to traumatic experiences. It assesses the extent to which these legacies continue to resonate today.

3. Memory and Commemoration: The handbook delves into the complex dynamics of memory and commemoration in East Asia, including the silencing and distortion of traumatic pasts, and sustained efforts to interrogate denial and impunity in the search for accountability.

4. Regional Focus: The book addresses collective traumas across various East Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Each chapter provides a nuanced analysis of the specific historical and cultural contexts of trauma in these regions.

5. Contested Memory-Scape: The volume examines the contested nature of memory in East Asia, where different stakeholders (perpetrators, victims, and their heirs) have competing narratives about the past. This contestation is central to understanding the ongoing impact of trauma on societies.

Plot Summary

The handbook is structured into several parts, each focusing on different aspects of trauma in East Asia. Some key chapters include:

• Part 1: Japan: This section explores Japan's historical traumas, including its role in World War II and its ongoing impact on contemporary Japanese society.

• Part 5: Wider East Asia: Chapters in this section cover broader regional issues, such as Putin's politics and propaganda regarding WWII memories in Russia's Far East, the impact of Singapore's detention without trial during the 1948 Malayan Emergency, and the trauma experienced by Vietnamese people due to the Vietnam-American War.

• Sub-Empire of Memory: This concept is explored in the context of Vietnam, highlighting how the war's legacy continues to shape memory politics across East Asia. The chapter critiques the failure of powerful Asian countries to acknowledge their complicity in the war's atrocities, leading to historical amnesia and communal rage among survivors.

Critical Reception

While specific reviews are not provided in the search results, the book's comprehensive nature and interdisciplinary approach suggest it would be well-received by scholars in Trauma and Memory Studies, Asian Studies, and Contemporary Asian History. The critical reception would likely praise the book for its thorough examination of complex historical and cultural contexts, as well as its engagement with contemporary issues of memory politics and accountability.

Conclusion

The "Routledge Handbook of Trauma in East Asia" offers a rich and multifaceted exploration of traumatic experiences across the region. By combining historical analysis with contemporary insights, the book provides a valuable resource for scholars seeking to understand the enduring legacies of trauma in East Asia.