Censoring History: Perspectives on Nationalism and War in the Twentieth Century (Asia & the Pacific (Paperback)) 1st Edition
by Laura Elizabeth Hein (Editor), Mark Selden (Editor)
4.5 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
ISBN-13: 978-0765604477
Considering the great influence textbooks have as interpreters of history, politics and culture to future generations of citizens, it is no surprise that they generate considerable controversy. Focusing largely on textbook treatment of lingering - and sometimes explosive - tensions originating in World War II, "Censoring History" addresses issues of textbook nationalism in historical and comparative perspective. Discussions include Japan's Comfort Women and the Nanjing Massacre; Nazi genocide against the Jews, Gypsies, Catholics and others; Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Indochina wars. The essays address controversies over textbook content around the globe: How and why do specific representations of war evolve? What are the international and national forces affecting how textbook writers, publishers and state censors depict the past? How do these forces differ from country to country? Other comparative essays analyze nationalist and war controversies in German, US and Chinese textbook debates.
Product details
Publisher : M.E. Sharpe; 1st edition (January 31, 2000)
Language : English
Paperback : 301 pages
ISBN-10 : 0765604477
ISBN-13 : 978-0765604477
Item Weight : 1 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 0.71 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #3,185,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#501 in South Korean History
#1,397 in Korean War History (Books)
#2,701 in Historiography (Books)
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4.5 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
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Jet
5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required for High School/College Hist teachersReviewed in the United States on May 10, 2001
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This is the best collection of essays on the "uses" of history and construction of national "memories" that I have read. This should be required reading in every high school social studies/history teacher certification program, and should be read by all who want to enter the debate on standardized testing and prescriptive curriculum content. I have used selections of it in my college level Japanese history course, my college level world history courses, and recommend it to my colleagues and also to the many high school teachers with whom I work. It shares valuable lessons on the manipulation of history for nationalistic and/or militaristic purposes. It should also be read by educational, defense, and foreign policy-makers as well as journalists who often seem too quick to pass on widely held myths as truths. Alas, I am afraid that many in these positions are more comfortable with the myths.
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Dorothy G.
4.0 out of 5 stars This is an older publication dealing with information gaps and ...Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2015
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This is an older publication dealing with information gaps and problems with clarity through the hazy use of mis-language in text-books dealing with war crimes in a national context in school textbooks. While some of the problems have been corrected or addressed since the 1990's, many controversial issues are on-going to this day in all three nations discussed. It is well-worth a read for the sake of comparison and research. Well-written.
One person found this helpful
Soccerphile.com
4.0 out of 5 stars Japanvisitor.com ReviewReviewed in the United States on June 4, 2003
The premise of this book is that "schools and textbooks are important vehicles through which contemporary societies transmit ideas of citizenship and both the idealized past and the promised future". The 10 chapters look at how World War II and the Vietnam War are represented in school history textbooks in the 3 countries. Almost 50 years after the end of the war, controversy over Japanese text books continues to rage, and this book is useful to put that into some sort of perspective. Of the 10 chapters, 6 deal with Japan, including a chapter with all the details of Saburo Ienaga's famous textbook lawsuits against the Japanese government, and a couple of chapters on joint history projects between Japan and Korea, and Japan and the U.S. The common conception is that Japan has not yet faced up to its wartime past, and while I agree, after reading this book my view has been somewhat softened. Compared with the U.S.A., Japan has done more to teach its young about the negative side of its wars. If you enjoyed reading Ian Buruma's Wages of Guilt, then you will enjoy this book.
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