Fall 2010
AMST 319
“Citizenship, Memory, Public
History, and Cinematic Geopolitics”
Fall 2010
Syllabus
| Time: | TTH 12:00 to 1:15 |
| Instructor: | Miguel Llora, Department of American Studies |
| Office: | Moore
Hall 302 |
| E-mail: | llora@hawaii.edu |
| Office Hours: | TTH
1:30 to 3:00. I am also available by appointment. |
Required Reading: Morris-Suzuki, Tessa, The Past Within Us: Media, Memory,
History; Rosenstone, Robert, Visions of the Past: The Challenge
of Film to our Idea of History; Bailey, Beth and David Farber, The First Strange Place: Race and Sex in World War II Hawaii and
a collection of articles that
will make up an accessible and free Online Course Reader
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact
of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Please
contact on campus the KOKUA Program at (808) 956-7511 located at the
Grading:
| Participation: | Weekly
entries/discussions @ the board (15 weeks) | 15@2% | 30% |
| Self-Reflection: | 1,
1-2 page “What I learned” self-reflection paper (see dates below) | 10% | |
| Reflection Assignments: | 4,
1-2 page reading reflections every 4th
week (see dates below) |
4@5% | 20% |
| Papers: | 4, 3-4 page papers (w/movie) due every 4th week (see dates below) | 4@10% | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO): The Department of American Studies has established
SLOs for undergraduates in the program. The department’s goal is to ensure undergraduates
in AMST courses are able to reach these outcomes through courses such as this.
The department’s SLOs are:
1.
Substantial knowledge of American
history, society, and culture, as well as a basic appreciation of different scholarly
approaches to American Studies.
2.
Critical thinking skills necessary
to analyze a variety of cultural artifacts (literature, primary documents, film,
music, etc.), as well as historical and present-day sociopolitical issues.
3.
Competence in scholarly writing and
oral communication.
4.
Basic research skills, including
advanced research skills in one area of specialization (majors only).
This course is designed to contribute
to these SLOs through a critical analysis of primary documents, films, and monographs
on a variety of topics that engage contemporary American domestic issues.
Note on Academic Integrity: This course will deal with controversial issues, and over
the course of the semester, we will find that many of us hold different views.
This should not stop you from fully expressing your opinions and even challenge
your peers. However, please remain respectful of others’ viewpoints and avoid
mixing intellectual with personal attacks.
All of your writing must be your own. Be sure to cite where appropriate the
work of others. For an explanation of what constitutes plagiarism, please refer
to the section on academic integrity in the UH Manoa catalog. If you have questions
concerning citations and other issues in your writing, please contact me by email
at any time. See: http://www.catalog.hawaii.edu/about-uh/campus-policies1.htm
 | Week 1: What is Public History? [August 24 and 26] |
§
Introduction
and Orientation: What is Public History? http://ncph.org/cms/what-is-public-history/
§
Film: Maya Lin: A Strong
Clear Vision (1994) 105 min. DVD 2564 A film about an artist
and her monuments: the Vietnam Memorial Wall & the Civil Rights Fountain Memorial.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110480/
§
http://www.ovguide.com/movies_tv/maya_lin_a_strong_clear_vision.htm
§
http://fora.tv/2009/09/17/Maya_Lins_What_is_Missing
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgfiK3hjxYI
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=l38Ea10sNBI&feature=related
 | Week 2: A Classic Test Case: How much “Past” is enough? [August 31 and September 2] |
§
Handler, Richard,
and Eric Gable. “The New History in an
§
Film: Digging for Slaves: The Excavation of Slave
Sites (1993) DVD 1869 50 min. BBC-TV in association with Arts
and Entertainment Network and Films for the Humanities & Sciences. This film
examines the findings of excavations at slave quarters on Middleburg Plantation
in
§
http://ffh.films.com/id/5551/Digging_for_Slaves_The_Excavation_of_American_Slave_Sites.htm
§
http://www.history.org/
[Colonial
§
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/
[Colonial
§
http://www.youtube.com/colonialwilliamsburg
[Mamie Gummer: Portraying Lady Dunmore]
FIRST
SHORT ANSWER QUIZ DUE SEPTEMBER 2
 | Week 3: Disney on Trial: “Mickey Mouse” History [September 7 and 9] |
§
Wallace, Mike. “Battlefields of Memory” pp vii-xiv and
“Disney’
§
Film: Mickey Mouse Monopoly (2002) DVD 2553
§
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2008/03/disneys-america-theme-park-project.html
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgxVvbai_nI
§
http://www.mediaed.org/assets/products/112/studyguide_112.pdf
 | Week 4: Museums, Displays, & Power [September 14 and 16] |
§
Dubin, Steven. “Museums as Contested Sites” pp 1-17 and “Battle
Royal: The Final
§
Film: Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real
Human Bodies (2007) DVD 9892
§
“I developed the Plastination technique
at the University of Heidelberg’s Institute of Anatomy in 1977, patented it between
1977 and 1982, and have been continually improving the process ever since. […]
That was on January 10, 1977, the day that I decided to make Plastination the
focus of my life.” Günter von Hagens
§
http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5bBtohsCCI&feature=fvsr
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=YAVt7h0zdxs&feature=channel
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=RdXnKZAGmlw&feature=related
FIRST
PAPER DUE: ANALYTICAL ESSAY DUE SEPTEMBER
16
 | Week 5: Politics of Public History: Museums on Trial [September 21 and 23] |
§
Linenthal, Edward
T., and Tom Engelhardt, eds. “Anatomy of a Controversy” pp 1-62. In History Wars: The Enola Gay and Other Battles for the
American Past.
Suggested
Yoneyama, Lisa. “For Transformative Knowledge and Postnationalist Public Spheres: the Smithsonian
Enola Gay Controversy” pp 323-346.
In Fujitani, T., G. White, and L. Yoneyama, eds. Perilous
Memories: The
Yoneyama, Lisa. “Ethnic Colonial Memories: The Korean Atom Bomb Memorial” pp 151-186. In
§
Film: Enola Gay and the Atomic Bombing of
§
Film: The Atomic Café (1982) 86 min. Disturbing collection of 40s & 50s
§
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1126269724766604475#
§
http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi3624928281/
§
Film: White Light/Black
Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (2007) 86 min.
is an HBO Documentary Film, details the human costs of atomic warfare and stands
as a powerful warning that with enough present-day nuclear weapons worldwide to
equal 400,000 Hiroshimas, we cannot afford to forget what happened on those two
days in 1945. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911010/
§
http://tvshack.net/movies/White_Light_Black_Rain__The_Destruction_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki__2007_/
 | Week 6: The Past is Not Dead [September 28 and 30] |
§
Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. The Past Within Us: Media, Memory, History.
§
Morris-Suzuki Chapter 1: 1-31 and Chapter 2: 33-70
Suggested
Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. “Letters to the Dead: Addressing the Legacies
of Violence in
§
Film: Hotaru no haka 89 min. “Grave
of the Fireflies” –
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSrltqaZUwE
§
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/animation/watch/v15953193sKScz5K
§
Film: Hadashi no Gen 83 min. “Barefoot
Gen” - International (English title) A powerful statement against war,
Barefoot Gen is a story about the effect of the atomic bomb on a boy's life and
the lives of the Japanese people. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085218/
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4SzjwHStp4&feature=related
SECOND
SHORT ANSWER QUIZ DUE September 30
 | Week 7: Moving Pictures [October 5 and 7] |
§
Morris-Suzuki Chapter 3: 71-119 and
Chapter 4: 120-157
§
Film: Back to
§
http://stagevu.com/video/bttmbyhijiqy
§
Film: Bataan (1943) 114 min.
§
[Online Site - TBA]
 | Week 8: The Historical Film [October 12 and 14] |
§
Rosenstone Visions of the Past: 44-108
§
Film: The Great Raid (2005) 132
min. Taking place towards the end of WWII, 500 American Soldiers
have been entrapped in a camp for 3 years. Beginning to give up hope they will
ever be rescued, a group of Rangers goes on a dangerous mission to try and save
them. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326905/
§
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GGjt-IQsls
SECOND
PAPER DUE: INTERPRETIVE ESSAY DUE OCTOBER
14
 | Week 9: Random Access Memory: Media(ting) Rememberance through Web Memories |
§
Morris-Suzuki Chapter 6: 206-228
 | Week 10: History in Images, History in Words [October 26 and 28] |
§
Rosenstone, Robert A. Visions of the Past: The Challenge to our Idea
of History.
§
Rosenstone Visions of the Past: 1-44
§
Film: Tora, Tora, Tora (1970) 144 min. A dramatization of the Japanese attack
on
§
http://stagevu.com/video/quhidzzmpsbi
§
Film: Pearl Harbor (2001) 183 min.
§
http://stagevu.com/video/jswttdvkxzai
THIRD
SHORT ANSWER QUIZ due October 28
 | Week 11: History, Memory, Documentary [November 2 and 4] |
§
Rosenstone Visions of the Past: 109-197
Suggested
Dazai Osamu. “December 8th” pp 660-667.
In
Lebra, Joyce C., ed.
Robert Cryer and Neil Boister, eds. Documents on the Tokyo International Military
Tribunal pp 522-526, 637-39, 676-77.
§
Film: Nanking (2007) DVD 8232
88 min.
Nanking tells the story of the rape of
§
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/nanking/
§
Film: John Rabe (2009) 134 min.
A true-story account of a German businessman who saved more than 200,000 Chinese
during the
§
http://stagevu.com/video/uixkqpxmlkqj
 | Week 12: Film and the Beginnings of Postmodern History [November 9 and 11] |
§
Rosenstone Visions of the Past: 198-246
§
Film: Flags of our Fathers (2006)
132 min. There were five Marines and one Navy Corpsman photographed
raising the
§
http://quicksilverscreen.com/watch?video=270701
§
http://vibux.com/view/1073/flags-of-our-fathers-2006/#
§
Film: Letters from
§
http://stagevu.com/video/jsbzuvbogvah
THIRD
PAPER DUE: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY DUE NOV 11
 | Week 13: Saving & Examining Perilous Memories [November 16 and 18] |
§
White, Geoff. “Moving History: The
Suggested
Odo, Franklin. “Introduction: The Making of a Model Minority and
Osorio, Jonathan Kamakawiwo'ole. “Memorializing Pu‘uloa and Remembering
Sasaki, Takuya. “Cold War Diplomacy and Memories of the Pacific War: A Comparison of the
American and Japanese Cases” pp 121-152. In The Unpredictability of the Past: Memories of the Asia-Pacific War in
U.S./East Asian Relations.
Yaguchi, Yujin. “War Memories Across the Pacific: Japanese Visitors at the
§
Film: USS Arizona Memorial orientation
film,
 | Week 14: Propaganda Film(s) [November 23 and 25] |
§
Hein, Laura, and
Mark Selden. “The Lessons of War, Global Power,
and Social Change” pp 3-52. In Censoring
History: Citizenship and Memory in
§
Film:
§
http://www.archive.org/details/wwf_the_battle_of_china
What
I learned exercise (email) and FOURTH SHORT ANSWER (outline) due november 25
 | Week 15: The Politics of Commemoration [November 30 and December 2] |
§
Ambrose, Hugh. “House of Cards” pp 1-43. In The Pacific: Hell was an Ocean Away.
§
Film: To End All Wars (2001) DVD
125 min. A true story about four Allied POWs who endure harsh treatment
from their Japanese captors during World War II while being forced to build a
railroad through the Burmese jungle. Based on the novel Through the Valley of
Kwai by Ernest Gordon, the crew ultimately find true
freedom by forgiving their enemies. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243609/
§
http://stagevu.com/video/lnxunllfjzpi
§
The Pacific (2010) is a 10-part television World War
II miniseries, produced by HBO, Seven Network
Episodes
1. Robert
Leckie and the 1st Marines land on Guadalcanal and take part in the
2. John
Basilone and the 7th Marines land on
3. The
1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal is relieved and arrives in
4. Eugene
Sledge enlists in the Marines and trains for combat, while Leckie and the 1st
Marine Division are put into action at
5. Sledge
and Leckie land with the 1st Marine Division at Peleliu.
6. The
Marines move to capture Peleliu’s vital airfield. Leckie is wounded by blast concussion
and evacuated.
7. Sledge
and the 5th Marines move into Peleliu’s Bloody Nose Ridge to face the Japanese.
8. Basilone
is transferred to the 5th Marine Division and lands at
9. Sledge
and the 1st Marine Division land at
10. Sledge
and Leckie return home after the Japanese surrender
Week 16: [December 6 and 8]
§
Course Review “Remembering” and “Today”
§
Richard Mosse’s “Moving Pictures”
Collection http://vimeo.com/7585747
§
Mark Kirchner’s “Manzanar Pilgrimage”
http://www.manzanarpilgrimage.com/
List of “Other”
References
Crothers, Lane. Globalization, American Popular Culture.
Dittmer, Jason. Popular Culture, Geopolitics, and Identity.
Fujitani, Takashi, Geoffrey White, and Lisa
Yoneyama. “Introduction” pp 1-29. In Perilous Memories: The
Gallicchio, Marc S. “Introduction” pp 1-12.
In The Unpredictability of the Past: Memories
of the Asia-Pacific War in U.S./East Asian Relations. M. Gallicchio, ed.
Giroux, Henry A., and Grace Pollock. The Mouse That Roared: Disney and the End of
Innocence.
Hicks, George. The Comfort Women:
Horwitz, Tony. “Confederates in the Attic” pp 3-17
and “Strike the
Tent” pp 379-390. In Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished
Civil War.
Jager, Sheila Miyoshi, and Rana Mitter. “Introduction: Re-Envisioning
Levine, Lawrence. “Prologue” pp ix-xviii,
“Epilogue” pp 170-174 and “The Discipline and Furniture of the Mind:
The Clash Over the Classical Curriculum” pp 37-53. In The Opening of the American Mind: Canons, Culture, and
History.
Linenthal, Edward T. Preserving Memory: The Struggle to Create
Lipschutz, Ronnie D. Political Economy, Capitalism, and Popular Culture.
Murakami, Haruki. Underground: The
Nash, Gary,
Charlotte Crabtree, and Ross Dunn. “In the Matter of History”
pp 3-24 and “Lessons
from the History Wars” pp 259-278. In History on Trial: Culture Wars and the Teaching of the
Past.
Rosenberg, Emily S. A Date Which Will Live:
Rosenzweig,
Roy, and David Thelen. “Scenes
from a Survey” pp 1-14 and “The Presence of the Past: Patterns of Popular Historymaking” pp 15-36. In The Presence
of the Past: Popular Uses of History in American Life.
Schwartz, Barry. “Two Faces of Collective Memory” pp 1-25 and “The New Face of Collective Memory” pp 293-312. In Abraham Lincoln and the Forge of National
Memory.
Seraphim, Franziska. “Relocating War Memory at Century’s End” pp 15-46. In Ruptured Histories: War, Memory, and the Post-Cold
War in
Shigematsu, Setsu and Keith L. Camacho. Militarized Currents: Toward a Decolonized
Future in
Sklar, Robert. Movie Made
Student Feedback:
I believe by far the most intriguing thing we covered in class was our questioning of history. I have long understood that different narratives are responsible for mainstream perspective on history, but I did not understand that that encompassed virtually all history. We have to learn to be critical analyzers of all history. As we progress through the 'instant information' age we must learn to understand and respect all perspectives of history. I know the class centered on the attack at Pearl Harbor and WWII, but I took much more than those events from this class. When we focused our discussion on the educational value of historical films, I really took a particular interest to the curriculum. I have to say this class is responsible for all my experience in film on war. Back to Bataan, Pearl Harbor, and Letters were amongst my favorites. For me, criticisms on the accuracy of films brought about an internal criticism for written history. We studied the progression of unbiased films with Letters and Flags, and you have to be impressed with how far the industry has come. The last two films we were required to watch were by far the most objective and entertaining pieces I came across in class.
I learned many things this semester as we thoroughly analyzed World War II. I found the segment regarding media influence in World War II to be particularly interesting. I had a prior fascination and understanding of the power that the media has over a society, but I found it fascinating to analyze World War II and the role media played in it. I also found the analysis of historical film to be very interesting. We have watched many films this semester that tie together the notion of media as a manipulating agent in society and how this applies to historical film as well. Many people misinterpret historical film as factual documentation, which continues to elucidate how powerful media is. One film that strongly illustrates this is Flags of Our Fathers. The film itself could more or less be considered historical film, as it does represent a historical event, but more importantly it illustrates how the media manipulates events, such as World War II. In addition to learning about historical film and its role in World War II, I also learned pragmatic skills, such as communication. Communication is an essential component to an online class, but it also proves to be extremely challenging. Communicating online is difficult. You cannot always "read" people and understand where they are coming from due to the lack of body language, expressions, etc. I also feel as if things can often get misinterpreted very easily. This class has taught me to read well for context (in our discussion board) and to let people explain their rationale and standpoint prior to jumping to conclusions. I feel as if this is very important in everyday life and it is reassuring to know that I am not only learning academically, but also learning life lessons.
I mentioned earlier that this class had me questioning my beliefs because each week as we opened up on a new topic I began to feel emotionally attached to the issues just by watching films. Weekly I found myself siding with different countries. Starting from week six, I sided with Japan after watching Graves of the Fireflies and seeing the impact of the atomic bomb on Japan. The following week I felt for the Philippines after watching Back to Bataan and finding out that the United States "back stabbed" the Filipino soldiers who fought during World War II. For the weeks to follow I then sided with America after watching Tora Tora Tora and then China after viewing Nanking. Regardless of how many films I watched and how many emotions I felt, I learned that visual history (media) has a big impact on how I view history compared to written history. I also learned that Hollywood plays a huge role in the "history business." Hollywood movies claim to be "factual" but it is obvious that Hollywood produces movies that sell, even if it means adding in more drama or romantic love triangles. Rosenstone said that: films are inaccurate. They distort the past. They fictionalize, trivialize and romanticize people, events and movements. They falsify history. (46) Most importantly, I learned that documentaries have a greater impact on me because I find that to be the closes thing to the truth. When veterans or survivors of war speak of their experience I can hear and see their pain, anger, frustration, which I can relate too.
I never realized history was so controversial. Who owns history? Who owns perception? What kinds of questions are these to have to ask? Yes we have to be compassionate of others but weighing that with making sure the story of our boys (who fought/ continue to fight for us) is told, is a delicate balance and who is put in charge of such a job is even more delicate yet. Are the right people in charge now, that remains to be seen doesn't it? But we must remember we can't please all the people all the time so we can't be too hard on the man (or woman) with the impossible job.
In the face of conflict an open mind is best. Point of views comes from all walks of life and in the face of differences it serves us best to see where they are coming from and agree to disagree, if either party has not come to an agreement. The most difficult question asked in this class for me was "what do you do when a person finds your opinion offensive." My inadequate answer, tolerance is best served in the face of conflict, but what to do is uncertain.
In this exceptionally engaging course of analysis and discussion, I have learned (to a greater extent) how to approach history: analyze/interpret, then articulately formulate my thoughts, opinions, and observations. (We) have learned to take into account perspectives of history, find where they come from and what affects those perspectives, how history is viewed on a public scale, the skewing of history for beneficial or marketing reasons. Also, with Colonial Williamsburg, how history is preserved on the one hand, and dually, how it is exploited. With Disney World, most definitely how history is exploited but fictionalized for commercial use. The focus of the course has ultimately been about WWII and Hawai'i, however, in preparing for analytical resources and discussion, these other studies were crucial and most informative.
Lastly, I learned that everyone have different opinions when it comes to 'live' history, like, museums. I always figured that museums are existent to educate, honor or remember people or events, however, the contents in the museums effects people differently. In this class we discussed the Colonial Williamsburg museum and looked deep into what historical significance the museum has on the public. Also, the discussion about Enola Gay exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum took me by surprise when some people felt that the Enola Gay exhibit was "anti American" and some people also said the Enola Gay should be "shredded into scrap metal." On the other hand, most recently we talked about the film(s) shown at the Arizona Memorial and how many visitors and workers felt the 1980 film was too sympathetic towards the Japanese. Yet, I argue that nothing positive can honestly be said about December 7, 1941 because the United States was unprepared for war, consequently resulting in a "sneak attack." Like Chenoweth, the memorial curator who drafted an initial historical script for the 1992 documentary [film shown on the Arizona Memorial] when he/she stated the "no matter how you tell the story [attack on Pearl Harbor], it's a favorable story from the Japanese point of view. But anytime you talk about that in the context of Pearl Harbor, people in the United States are going to criticize you for sympathizing with Japan. (280)
On first thought, one of the most important things I have learned this semester in this class is to not take history at its face value. Prior to enrolling in this course, I perceived history as a way to discover the past, an avenue to learn from old mistakes, and an honest tool toward reasoning about global and American fallibility. However, as I delved into the readings by Morris-Suzuki, Rosenstone, and now Hein and Selden, I have discovered that history as an accurate investigation into the past is impossible. Rather, history is a narrative, a creation of stories reflecting the past that may or may not have basis in reality. Some historical narratives may reflect a reification of hegemonic Americanism where we as citizens are discouraged to question the very foundations of patriotism, right versus wrong, and/or America's justification toward wartime activities. Other forms of history reveal deep ideological meanings intended to sway readers toward certain emotions, politics, and other goals far removed from truth or balance. I have learned that America is not the only nation-state which reemphasizes its power and hegemony via the historical narrative found in textbooks, at national memorials, and through museological displays. Other countries such as Germany and Japan have employed similar tactics toward either obscuring damaging aspects of their participation in past wars, or accounting for their activities in wartime atrocities, wholly dependent on the benefits to their nationhood and inclusion in global politics.
One of the first important topics that I grabbed a hold of in this class was that history can easily be recreated, and that sensitive topics can be omitted or changed for the better. The best example that I can think of is Colonial Williamsburg. During this time in the semester I learned about mimesis, or the recreating. CW is an actual historical place but the history that is represented there is not totally accurate. I learned that the darker side of true stories is sometimes left out to uphold a "pristine" American past. For example, CW mainly concentrated on the upper class or noble people during that era and not talking much about the black community. Another example could be the way that the Chinese school system mainly teaches an anti Japanese agenda. This thought ties into how history can be easily be filtered. History is a perspective, and everyone has a different perspective on things.
People have their own ideas as to what is appropriate to display about history. Controversies may occur over how much is shared with the public, the way the history is presented, the timing of the presentation, and the accuracy of factual information. Public debates over exhibitions have sparked these controversies. The World Body Exhibit, for example was a source of great controversy for some. Because viewers came with different expectations, their reception of the display varied. Some were pleasantly impressed, finding the exhibit educational, tasteful and fascinating. Others though the opposite-that it was distasteful, disrespectful, and only for entertainment. The Pearl Harbor exhibit of the U.S.S. Arizona and the film that accompanies the displays and memorials were the subject of controversy as well because some questioned its accuracy as well as its intention to honor the soldiers whose lives were lost. The Smithsonian was also a subject of debate for the way the Enola Gay was displayed and portrayed due to information swaying toward Japanese sentiment. Public history cannot please everyone, and because each is entitled to their own opinions and how they will accept the information given, there will always be opposition.
Perspectives are formed from our own unique makeup. It comes from our upbringing, the environment we live in; there are many factors that create perspectives. Remembering that there are two sides to the story will help prevent insult when we see our own as the only light. Trying to superimpose our own perception on others creates a barrier to other truths. There is more than one way to look at things.
Responsibility in portraying an honest story is a choice. Corporations who take on that responsibility are making a decision to be ethically accountable. It is our social responsibility to support companies that reflect our values. Financial support is our voice to corporate decisions.
So I guess one could say that in this class I have acquired the tools of an inchoate methodology but even more importantly, I have acquired the seed of a 21st century historical consciousness. Since we do not live in a world dominated by text (as most "people" never did, I wonder if the emphasis on the textual world is an index of historical distortion introduced by the cultural backdrop of the academics doing the history at that time) it's of no value learning analytical tools that only apply to the textual (linguistic) world. The new semiotic vocabulary we are acquiring through this class is like a second or third language with which to engage the world. Because this method allows us to apprehend matters, in the vocabulary of the present, dimensions of experience and historical consequence that were unavailable previously start to cohere and the invisible becomes visible.
Tessa Morris-Suzuki show us in her The Past Within that memory is always mediated. She explains this truth with a lot of illustrations: photos, films, and comic books. Especially films arouse public sympathy because film makers always taking the needs of the spectators into consideration. Films are compatible with Public History. As for Back to Bataan, the audiences have never come to realize that the basic cause of the Bataan Death March was MacArthur's desertion and negligence of his duty. Tessa concludes her book with the saying that we need "a society which creates space for the critical understanding and open exchange of multiple interpretations of the past, an understanding and exchange which extends across national boundaries." However, the materialization of the society is a remote possibility without one perspective. I believe that is postmodernism. And it is Robert A. Rosenstone who demonstrates how to do history with postmodernist's perspectives. If we still stick to a Dragnet History, we will be unable to create space for the critical understanding and open exchange of multiple interpretations of the past. Let us just start where we can; juxtaposing everything like Sans Soleil. Academism is often behind the times. Historical research already became out of date. Now in Japan, there are a lot of video games dealing with so many historical events juxtaposed. Most historians seem not to abreast with the times.
This class has exemplified the chasm between party lines, military stalwarts, and self-effacing martyrs of minority causes. However, for as much as I have learned, I have ten-fold more questions regarding the future that have arisen from reflecting and writing about the topics presented: Will a global minority contingent be able to rise above a corporate dominated global presence to re-establish community values, not only in the US but abroad where corporations dominate entire political entities? On the flip side, would this be of benefit? How much technology is enough? How much should inherent human ethics be compromised for the sake of modernization? Where do we draw the line as a global community? And how?
This class was organized and taught in a way that I was not expecting. This semester I learned a great deal about the "victory culture" that the United States holds very dear. In a way I was expecting this class to be the same way. What I mean by this is that I was under the impression that we were going to learn about battles and WWII in general, undoubtedly from the American perspective. However, this class has opened up another side to learning. Sure we covered the important points in time during WWII, but this class seemed to be aimed at what our thoughts are on the war and how it is affecting people to this day. We talked a lot about perspective during this semester, and I learned that history is held in a person's perspective. I not only gained knowledge on WWII but I also gained a perspective that history is alive. History is the United States, history is the Japanese, history is the Philippines, and history is us. We carry it on in us, and we pass it through our own perspective. This is a great class that has the students step out of the "victory culture" and out of the "good war fought" mentality, and more towards an idea that history is all around us in our everyday lives.
This segues into another aspect of history that has been impressed upon me- the nature and variability of time and place in the retelling or exclusion of certain aspects of global history. Indeed, it remains that contemporary politics dictate the nature of which histories are told, which events are downplayed, who tells the story, and how the narratives are presented. As in the case of Japan and its resistance toward some of its more horrendous wartime acts and policies, Hein and Selden reveal that there was and is no true beneficial impetus to pressure Japan into reconciliatory action or reparation for Korean comfort women or victims of the Nanking massacre. Japan's preeminence economically and undeniable power in the Asian political sphere, complied with its lucrative partnership with the United States does not dictate any pressures toward an apologetic stance, or a unification with its geographical neighbors. Germany, on the other hand, has displayed remarkable revelations of accountability toward the Nazi genocide because in doing so, it benefits Germany as a player in the European empire. Similarly, Hein and Selden posit that America has never needed to expose its perpetrations of wartime atrocities and fallibilities in Vietnam, due to the US' lofty spot in the global hierarchy. Therefore, while some historical truths are exposed and accounted for, others are played down or obscured, dependent on the place and time.
This semester we examined many different topics and issues that challenged us to look deep into the core meaning(s), sometimes even questioning ourselves. I have learned overall that regardless what textbooks, movies (Hollywood films or documentaries) or the Internet may claim about history, it always boils down to our personal interpretation (belief) of what we choose to accept as "our own history."
This was taken from my very first quiz, "To me, when you say history, I think of the past, as most people have or would answer. But I think history is more than that. Today is tomorrow's history, so in theory wouldn't our lessons of today apply tomorrow? If I think about it like that, then I find the question that I have is: where does "history" begin and end?" Looking back, I think that this was a really good question that I asked, and was very fitting of this class. I think media has a lot of influence on history because if it is not in the media, then the subject does not stay fresh in our minds. Like the films that we recently watched. Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, until the movies, not many people cared about what had happened so long ago. I think when things happen, we put them in the past and that's when they become history. I know that I usually think of history as what is in the books that we learn about over and over all throughout grade school, but it's so much more than that, and if I take anything away from this class, I think it's that point right there.
Throughout this semester we examined history beyond the "textbook." We dug into aspects of history that questioned what I believed were facts/ truth and sometimes I even began to question my beliefs. However, when I reflect on everything we discussed, I have come to the realization that whatever topic or issue we discussed, the bottom line always related to our own personal interpretation about history. Morris-Suzuki stated that: our vision of history are drawn from diverse sources: not just from the narrative of history book but also from photographs and historical novels, from newsreel footage, comic books and increasingly, from electronic media like the Internet. (2) I agree with Morris- Suzuki because since history happened in the past there is no way we can ever know what "really" happened, our only accounts are drawn from multiple sources like: movies, novels, interviews, textbooks and most of all the Internet. Then, after we read or view these narratives it becomes up to us how we choose to interpret an issue or what we choose to believe, which I would call "freedom of history."
While these proffered analyses of historical narratives may quash the utility of past events as false, biased, flawed, and/or unbalanced, I still understand that gleaning information from the past is necessary. However, it appears crucial that a careful investigation into any form of history- written, memorialized, showcased in film, and/or displayed in museological entities is required for any truth based accuracy. This notion, coupled with the knowledge that the past is a series of creations strongly influenced by time, place, politics, money, power, and emotions will follow my studies, perceptions, and "truths" for the rest of my life. I regard this newfound knowledge as an invaluable tool for which to process relayed "facts" and histories about me, my country, and my guiding ideologies about what is "right" and "wrong." I have learned that the beliefs and "facts" that I have long held as "truths" may need a second look.
I also learned that there are always two sides to every story. In WWII, there is the American perspective where the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor without fair warning but there is also the Japanese perspective, where they felt the need to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Watching films such as Tora Tora Tora and Letters from Iwo Jima helped me to see what it may have been like from the Japanese perspective and to become more open minded.