On 16 March 2021, the Teach311 + COVID-19 Collective (www.teach311.org) hosted a virtual roundtable discussion entitled “Sources of Disaster: New Epistemic Perspectives in Post-3.11 Japan.” The event brought together scholars and students researching the history and anthropology of Japan to explore how the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster of 11 March 2011 (3.11) changed our ways of knowing the world. The roundtable focused on the idea of the “source” to get at these epistemic shifts in lived experience and practical knowledge as well as historiography, and to investigate ideas that range from what we can know about acceptable risk and safety to notions of home and belonging. “Source” is a way to think about origins, but also the materials—texts, media, or testimony—that we collect and analyze to give rise to new or better knowledge. Building upon previous Teach311 activities that explored the roots of 3.11 and genba, participants in this roundtable expanded upon the significance and meanings of the notion of a “source” relative to the politics of epistemology in their research and studies in order to examine what reconstruction means in history when it is conducted alongside recovery.
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On 16 March 2021, the Teach311 + COVID-19 Collective (www.teach311.org) hosted a virtual roundtable discussion entitled “Sources of Disaster: New Epistemic Perspectives in Post-3.11 Japan.” This brought together scholars and students in history and anthropology of Japan to explore how 11 March 2011 (3.11) changed our ways of knowing—from ideas of acceptable risk and safety, to notions of home and belonging, lived experience and practical knowledge, and historical knowledge itself. Teach311 formed in April 2011 as a collective of students and scholars, including those directly affected by the triple disaster. Drawing from multiple disciplines, we have asked a series of questions, beginning by tracing the roots of the disaster. This led us to think through the concept of genba to critique the equation of place-names like Fukushima with one discrete crisis, which we argue overshadowed other developments that made it a compound disaster.Footnote1 The roundtable focused on the idea of the “source” to get at these epistemic shifts. The “source” is a way to think about origins, but also the materials—texts, media, or testimony—that we collect and analyze to give rise to new or better knowledge. For us, the notion of “source” in relation to the politics of epistemology is an apt next step after exploring roots and genba to understand what reconstruction means in history when it is conducted alongside recovery.Each panelist gave an opening statement, followed by a discussion. We hope that by sharing this abridged transcript, scholars and students will join us as we continue exploring the significance and meanings of “sources of disaster” in Japan. First to speak was Julia Mariko Jacoby.— Lisa Onaga (MPIWG, Berlin), Kristina Buhrman (Florida State University, Tallahassee), Chelsea Szendi Schieder (Aoyama Gakuin, Tokyo)
