Controversial Monuments in Spaces of Regional Conflict
June 24, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Our first Monuments Toolkit webinar addresses "Controversial Monuments in Spaces of Regional Conflict." Our two guest speakers, each representing a different corner of the world, will present their perspectives on complex sites and narratives in their communities. In the Czech Republic, the Konev Monument is surrounded by conflicting histories between Russia and Czechia during World War II. The monument establishes Konev as the sole liberator of the Czechs and Slovaks from German Nazi occupation while ignoring the sacrifice of the non-communist anti-Nazi resistance and Western forces.
In Taiwan, the troubled history of the Chiang Kai-shek monuments erected throughout the nation are contested in the wake of its democratic transition. Supporters believe that the removal of National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall's statue would lead to the destruction of cultural heritage, while the opposition wants to recognize his crimes against humanity and promote Taiwan's independence.
This webinar is moderated by William Humphrey, the Program Associate for Publications, Research and Administration, who shares some of his own insight and leads the discussions on navigating oppressive monuments in contemporary communities. Guest speakers include Dr. Petra Švardová, postdoctoral fellow of the Institute of Contemporary History, Czech Academy of Sciences; and Kevin Hsu, founder of Skyship Design Studios and masters graduate of John Hopkins University Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.