Between War and Peace, Past and Future: Experiencing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

A groundbreaking study reveals that the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, often seen as a universal symbol of peace, is actually experienced through a complex tension reflecting post-war Japan's memory politics. The research, employing an innovative methodology using subjective cameras (subcams), uncovers dichotomies such as war/peace, death/life, past/future, and old/new that emerge during visitors' encounters with the site. These tensions are interpreted through the concept of themata, highlighting social debates around the A-Bomb's memory politics and Hiroshima's urban renewal. The study challenges the monolithic perception of peace, offering a nuanced understanding of how individuals engage with historical trauma and urban transformation.

Brescó de Luna, I., Li, Y., & Wagoner, B. (2022). Between War and Peace, Past and Future: Experiencing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 57(3), 1002–1023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-022-09723-2