Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

What is graduate school like? Waseda University currently has 21 graduate schools. In this issue of "Graduate Student's Research," we take a look at campus life with Hamada, who is currently working hard on research in the Graduate School of Social Sciences. We'll share why she decided to go to graduate school, as well as the appeal of academics and how she spends her day.

Historical issues are not just about the past, but also about the present.

Rena Hamada, 2nd year doctoral student, Graduate School of Social Sciences

I am researching the memorialization of war dead in East Asia. My main research subjects are cemeteries, shrines, and war memorials dedicated to the war dead in Japan, China, and Taiwan. When people hear the words "war dead" and "commemoration," some may have a historical impression, since they explore past events, or a cultural anthropological impression, since the word "commemoration" itself contains many of these elements. However, my research interests lie in the "present," which continues uninterruptedly from the past.

Since the end of the war, the act and idea of memorializing the war dead, an activity undertaken by the living to mourn those who died in the war, has often become a point of political contention both at home and abroad. It has also sometimes become a source of conflict and friction between civilians. One reason for this may be that the act of memorializing is not simply a way of mourning the dead, but is deeply connected to how people living in the present interpret the past and how they view the future from the present.

Furthermore, it is not just people's awareness that current issues stem from past events, but are also linked to various intertwining factors such as international relations, domestic politics, and social values of the time. For this reason, I believe that the issue of commemorating war dead is not only a matter of the past and present but could also become a point of contention in the future. In today's world, where wars and conflicts are endless, I believe that these issues are important concerns, and I devote myself to studying and researching them every day.

When I organize previous research at home, I often take notes on my PC while referring to the literature on my tablet.

My interest in these issues began when I chose to research the issue of comfort women between Japan and South Korea as the theme for my undergraduate bachelor's thesis. As I was reading related materials and literature in preparation for writing my thesis, I realized that my current self and my life are built on the history of war, and that there are still people who suffer from that history. I realized that historical issues are not just about the past, but also about the present. This led me to become interested in issues related to contemporary historical awareness.

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, where I studied abroad. It was so white that it hurt my eyes.

During my master's degree, I took advantage of my university's exchange program and studied abroad at Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan for six months. Taiwan is a region that has changed rulers many times. When rulers change, not only does historical awareness change, but social systems, including politics and education, also change. As a result, there are many shrines, memorial halls, and monuments based on different historical awareness. During my stay, I not only attended lectures, but also actively made appointments with professors in the field of history to hear about the current state of historical awareness and identity in Taiwan.

What I struggled with here was how to think about my own position. Just like when reading literature, there are times when I unconsciously apply bias when interpreting the information I obtain, or I am indifferent to my own values. I have yet to find the answer to how to overcome this, but I believe it is important to discuss my interpretations with my professors and fellow students.

The information I get from actually visiting the site is combined with information from literature, and sometimes the dots connect through discussions with others. I would like to continue to devote myself to my research, not only to carefully reading literature, but also to visiting the site and observing the subject, so that I can make new discoveries.

Daily Schedule

• 07:00-08:30 Wake up, have breakfast, get ready
• 08:50-12:50 Work as a teaching assistant (TA) at my university (In my spare time, I write resumes, organize previous research, and have lunch. On days when I don't have university appointments, I often collect materials or organize previous research at the university library or the National Diet Library)
• 13:10-14:50 Language class (Korean)
• 15:15-16:15 Meeting with instructors
• 17:00-19:00 Seminar
• 19:30-20:30 Seminar dinner party
• 21:00-22:00 Return home and prepare for bed
• 22:00-24:00: Free time/sleeping (When I have a lot of work to do, like writing papers or creating resumes, I do that, and when I have less work, I use this time to watch anime/dramas or study languages)
  

  

  

  
  

Photo on the left: Visited Shanghai Foreign Studies Universityfor a conference in March 2025 and gave on oral presentation.
Photo on the right: Whenever I go to Takadanobaba, I almost always eat chilled dandan noodles without spicy broth at "Koya" inside the station.