Critical Intersections
Historical Facts and Collective Memories of Atomic Bomb in Nagasaki
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Makoto Sakai
This research aims to analyze and evaluate archives and exhibitions on the atomic bomb disasters in Nagasaki, Japan, in terms of historical research and media studies. For research methods to communicate historical facts and collective memories, I used concepts from content analysis methods of media studies, fieldwork in Nagasaki, and interviews of the director of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. I then performed a comparative analysis of the archives and exhibitions related to nuclear disasters such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park, Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum and Chernobyl nuclear power plants, and exhibitions on nuclear power plants in Japan focusing on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. In particular, this study focuses on the research archives, exhibitions, and collective memories related to the historical facts of atomic bomb disasters in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park, and other museums and libraries. Generally speaking, Nagasaki’s atomic bomb disaster is less acknowledged than Hiroshima’s disaster internationally. For example, the New York Times published an op-ed titled “Nagasaki, the Forgotten City” (Southard, 2015). Archives and exhibitions on the nuclear disasters in Nagasaki focus on human casualties, environmental damages, and Christian victims of the detonation of the atomic bomb. The largest Catholic church in Asia was located near Nagasaki’s hypocenter; therefore, many of the victims of the Nagasaki atomic bomb attack were Christians. My research also aims to investigate methods and concepts for communicating these historical facts and collective memories for local communities in Nagasaki.
Australian Muslims and the Public Sphere
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Easa Alqahtani, Abdulaziz Alajlan
In this study, we consider the following questions. First, do Australian Muslims think about the significant role that the media plays in the public sphere? Second, what efforts should Australian Muslims make to participate in the public sphere, and especially in the media sphere? Finally, what are the origins of bias in the Australian news media, and why do white men control the media sphere? This paper illustrates the roots of the Australian media’s bias against Muslim communities, beginning with the era of the printing press and the European reformation, and through the colonial era. Tracing these historical roots demonstrates how the colonial past influenced the very early news media in Australia. Finally, this article examines how Muslim communities have tried to play a significant role in changing the biased images of Islam and Muslims in Australia and around the world.
