This one-day workshop will examine women’s lives in Asia and the Pacific today in light of the history of Japanese military sexual slavery (i.e., the ‘comfort women’ system) during the wartime 1930s and 1940s. We will discuss how this history continues to animate feminist movements in a number of countries, and explore how activism by young people in Asia and the Pacific today reflects considerations of war, militarism and sexual slavery.

 

Presenters will focus on Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, both in relation to their wartime histories of Japanese military sexual slavery as well as their contemporary justice movements, especially for women and girls. Links between wartime history and current-day feminism and its aligned movements in the Asia-Pacific region show political movements and ideas developing in directions possibly different from those in the West. Learning from these different approaches and insights is a goal of the workshop, and participation by students, staff and community members is warmly welcomed. Presenters include Kate McGregor (Melbourne), Yuki Tanaka (Hiroshima), Mohita Roman (Monash), Emma Dalton (RMIT), and Caroline Norma (RMIT).

 

Morning, lunch, and afternoon refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP for the event here.