The Politics of Trauma and Integrity: Stories of Japanese "Comfort Women"

The Politics of Trauma and Integrity is a joint winner of the 2023 Carole Pateman Gender and Politics Book Prize. It uses gender and trauma to tell the stories of narratives testified by two contrasting Japanese comfort women survivors. The book uncovers the life-or-death struggles of Japanese survivors in pursuit of public recognition as the victims of state violence against women. It provides a better understanding of the victims of sexual violence and encourages readers to listen to the voice of trauma. It also makes a significant contribution to the existing research on the ongoing history of sexual violence against women in Japan, the rest of Asia, and beyond.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Politics of Trauma and Integrity is a groundbreaking work that delves into the narratives of two contrasting Japanese comfort women survivors through the lenses of gender and trauma. By undertaking an innovative interdisciplinary study of the politics of gendered memory and trauma in a historical context, the book uncovers the life-or-death struggles of Japanese survivors in their pursuit of public recognition as victims of state violence against women. Set within the broader gender history of modern Japan, the book is supplemented by a feminist activist methodology that emphasizes political agency and seeks social justice.

The authors analysis draws upon three key concepts: trauma, coherence of the self, and integrity. By focusing on the role of gender and trauma as the nexus between memory construction and identity formation in modern Japan, the author reveals the unwavering quest of these women for their recovery and the creation of new identities. This book offers a deeper understanding of the victims of sexual violence and encourages readers to listen to the voices of trauma. Moreover, it makes a significant contribution to the existing research on the ongoing history of sexual violence against women in Japan, the rest of Asia, and beyond.

The book is of interest to scholars, researchers, activists, and anyone concerned with the issue of womens human rights. It serves as a valuable supplementary reading and research material for history and politics courses related to Japan and East Asia, memory, identity, trauma, gender, war, and feminist activism. By exploring these complex themes, The Politics of Trauma and Integrity contributes to our understanding of the past and the ongoing fight for gender equality and justice.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032067506