Welcome! I am an historian and heritage researcher with a focus on Japanese war heritage in East Asia. Currently I am studying my PhD in Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, researching international interpretation of Japanese war heritage in cities of mass tourism. I completed my MA in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies at the University of East Anglia in 2021 while working as a Project Support Officer at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. I also host and produce the Beyond Japan podcast in my continued role at the Sainsbury Institute.
Research
My research interest is around transnational narratives of war and empire through heritage sites, looking at how different languages hold different narratives both on site and online. My research so far has focussed on heritage sites in Japan relating to the Japanese empire and military incursions in East Asia, especially those in the heritage-rich tourist hub of Kyoto. A key interest lies in the relationship between language and access at heritage sites, exploring the possibility of heritage policy denying access to information for certain nationalities through translation practice. This is motivated from my personal belief that the way heritage is interpreted is not decided by those managing the site, and we must listen to how people interpret heritage differently. Particularly with the painful heritage of war, these grassroots narratives can provide the basis for a transnational narrative which respects the memories of all who hold a stake in the war history represented there.
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Preparing for a PhD
I’m happy to announce that I will be starting my PhD in Archaeology this September at the University of Cambridge thanks to a successful bid for a Daiwa Scholarship in Japanese Studies! My research will look at the relationship between language and interpretation at difficult conflict heritage sites in Japan. Here’s the breakdown of what…
Listen to my Beyond Japan episode discussing my MA thesis on Mimizuka, the “Hill of Ears”, in central Kyoto, Japan:
Photo-documentation of War Heritage in Kyoto, Japan
Beyond Japan Podcast
Beyond Japan Homepage
Check out Beyond Japan, an interdisciplinary podcast which explores the diversity of Japanese Studies.
Blog
- Preparing for a PhD
- Debut on Beyond Japan: Reinterpreting Difficult Heritage
- Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Original
Life After Sheffield: Postgrad & Podcasts
I was invited to write an article for my alma mater, the University of Sheffield, on life following my graduation in 2019 and to share the mentality behind Beyond Japan.
Oliver Moxham 