War Memorialization and Nation-Building in Twentieth-Century Southeast Asia (Routledge Contemporary Southeast Asia Series)

War Memorialization and Nation-Building in Twentieth-Century Southeast Asia explores how three Southeast Asian countries― the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore―have utilized war memorialization in their nation-building efforts.

Set against the backdrop of colonialism, world wars, independence struggles, and the Cold War, the book interrogates how these nations’ war experiences have shaped national myths and legitimized state narratives. Examining the role of state-sponsored monuments and memorials in these countries, the author sheds light on their impact on national identity formation, state legitimacy, and citizen unity. Through these three distinct case studies, the book highlights the complexity and diversity of memorialization practices within the region, their intersections with state agendas, and the international context that backdropped the region’s nation-building projects. Utilizing war monuments and memorials as its primary data source, the author explains the temporal dynamics of peace and conflict and the significance of tangible history in these nations. He critically examines the transition from heroic to victimhood narratives in war memorialization and its implications for memory cultures and societies at large.

A unique study of the commemoration of war experiences in Southeast Asia, this book offers a nuanced understanding of how war memories and memorialization practices have shaped, and continue to influence, Southeast Asia's political and social landscapes through the cases of the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. It will be of interest to researchers studying Southeast Asian Studies, History, and International Relations.

John Lee Candelaria is Assistant Professor at Hiroshima University, Japan.