Unwriting the Wrongs: History, Trauma and Memories of Violence in Germany and Japan

The past half century has witnessed the international rise of movements which aim to deny or minimize the reality of certain historical acts of violence and oppression. In his analysis of the work of Holocaust denialist David Irving, British historian Richard Evans identifies distinctive ways in which Irving’s denialism challenges accepted norms of scholarly research. The pattern of challenges to academic integrity identified by Evans can, this chapter argues, be found in cases of historical denialism in various parts of the world today. These challenges are increasing as ‘history wars’ proliferate and Internet discourse blurs the lines between reliable information and ‘fake news’. Examining some recent controversies in Japanese history, this chapter argues for the need for academic institutions and publishers to create better systems to uphold scholarly standards in order both to protect the freedom and integrity of debate and to prevent historical denialism from compounding the trauma experienced by victims of past violence.