Written by Shin Ki-young, Professor at Ochanomizu University, Japan
Shin Ki-young
The spread of “Comfort Women” memorials across different cities and countries offers insights into both possibilities and the limits of memory activism, especially in an era when the world continues to confront the legacies of colonialism, racism, and historical injustice.
Dr. Daniel Schumacher
What can art accomplish beyond aesthetics? Randy Jayne Rosenberg examines how it can preserve marginalized histories, support survivor testimony, and move audiences from observation toward ethical responsibility.
Randy Jayne Rosenberg
The history of the Rohingya genocide in the world’s largest refugee camp and the hope nurtured by women amid an ongoing struggle for survival.
Lee Yu Kyung
The Asia Pacific Peace Museum in Toronto, one of the few museums outside Asia dedicated to World War II in Asia, offers education that encourages critical reflection on war, memory, and peace.
Flora Mei-Ling Chong
In this interview with Kyeol, artist Chang-Jin Lee discusses the vision behind her work and the power of art to communicate, connect people, and inspire change.
Chang-Jin Lee
The author – an ethnomusicologist – invites us to listen to “Comfort Women” survivors’ songs as a way to understand their lives and to remember them.
Joshua D. Pilzer
The Berlin Statue of Peace, established in 2020, marked an important milestone in the “Comfort Women” memorial movement as the first public memorial of its kind in Europe.
Jung-Hwa Han
The “Comfort Women” system was not only a violation of women’s rights, but also a grave infringement of children’s rights. In this article, Professor Ñusta Carranza Ko examines how imperial Japanese authorities systematically violated the rights of underage girls, in direct contravention of international conventions of the time, reframing the issue as a case of child rights violations.
Ñusta Carranza Ko
The Contested Histories Initiative (CHI) is a Europe-based NGO dedicated to studying disputes over historical memorials in public spaces and promoting critical engagement with them. CHI’s Program Director, Paula O’Donohoe, spoke with Kyeol about the organization’s work and its engagement with the “Comfort Women” issue.
Paula O’Donohoe
The Contested Histories Initiative (CHI) is a Europe-based NGO dedicated to studying disputes over historical memorials in public spaces and promoting critical engagement with them. CHI’s Program Director, Paula O’Donohoe, spoke with Kyeol about the organization’s work and its broader vision.
Rose Camastro-Pritchett’s “Comfort Women” project uses art to honor the dignity and strength of survivors of wartime sexual violence. Inspired by her research and personal experiences, she creates intimate, respectful works that connect historical trauma to ongoing conversations about gender-based violence today.
Rose Camastro-Pritchett