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2012年7月 月次レポート（マヤ・ヴォドピヴェッツ オランダ）
Report on the fourth month of my research at Leiden Institute of Asian Studies (LIAS), July 2012
Maja Vodopivec
As I announced in my June report, in July I was working on a chapter on the Pacific War I was asked to contribute to the book of Leiden University College in Den Haag. The book should be published in January 2013 and is supposed to be used as a textbook for LUC's students at "Global Challenges: Peace" course. The chapter I submitted currently has 9600 words.
I submitted it by July 15 deadline and only a few days later I have already received the editors' comments which I found very constructive. I incorporated them and sent a revised version end of July.
In the chapter I used multidisciplinary approach and collective memories theoretical framework (remembering and oblivion) for describing the actuality of the topic, historical revisionism problematic and Japan's postwar Pacifism.
The work on this chapter greatly contributed to developing my own understanding of problematic of historical revisionism in Japan, continuity of prewar and postwar affaires and thesis on Japan's lag in modernity - all issues closely related to Kato's writings. I felt that in my dissertation I mentioned often historical revisionism while never entering that problematic to detail. In that meaning, my July research/writing/contemplation on this topic contributed to my basic research's goal.
I also touched thematic of Article 9 of the Japanese constitution and Johan Galtung's theory of positive/negative peace. I wish to work more on Japan's postwar peace theory and Kato's engagement in the Article 9 Association.
Beside being asked to contribute a chapter, I was asked to make a list of films depicting several contemporary conflicts and the Asia Pacific War - in order to recommend it to the students of "Global Chalenges: Peace" course at LUC. I felt it closely related to my affiliation to the Peace and Conflict Studies and my master's work on film analyses ("Film Narratives after the Break-up of the Former Yugoslavia"). Kato Shuichi wrote on a Bosnian film "Perfect Circle" and I reminded myself on Kato's view of break-up of Yugoslavia - a topic which should also be developed more in detail.
After four months of doing research in Leiden, I feel very inspired by the environment and I am looking forward to further research and achievements.