Reflecting on Japanese Internment during World War II
Featuring PlayMakers Repertory Company’s PRC2 production of Hold These Truths
April 25-26, 2014
Japanese internment camps have long been a subject of controversy. Over one hundred thousand Japanese men, women, and children—the majority of whom were American citizens—were removed from their hometowns across the American West and relocated to camps under the watchful eye of the government. No other suspect group, no German or Italian-Americans, faced such ethnic profiling and discrimination during the war. Many complicated issues arose from this extralegal act by the US government. How would Japanese-American men react to the military draft? What did internment and exclusion mean for mixed-race couples? What happened to Japanese-American families and communities as a result of the detention? We’ll address these questions in conjunction with the PlayMakers Repertory Company’s PRC2 production of Jeanne Sakata’s critically acclaimed play, Hold These Truths, inspired by the life of Gordon Hirabayashi who defied the internment order all the way to the Supreme Court. This weekend will provide an opportunity to discuss the balance between security and freedom—a balance we’re still seeking.
Topics & Speakers
Free to Die for Their Country: The Story of the Japanese American Draft Resisters in World War II
Eric L. Muller, Dan K. Moore Distinguished Professor of Law in Jurisprudence and Ethics
The Racially Ambiguous Story of Yoshiko deLeon and the Mixed Marriage Policy of 1942
Jennifer Ho, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature
The Breakdown of Family: Individual Japanese Americans During and Post-World War II
Heidi Kim, Assistant Professor of English and Comparative Literature
Japanese Internment and the False Dichotomy of Security and Freedom
A panel discussion with our speakers
Time & Cost
4:30 p.m. Friday, April 25 through 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2014. The tuition is $125 ($110 by February 5). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by February 5). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The seminar will break at 6:00 p.m. on Friday to allow participants to attend the Friday evening performance of Hold These Truths. The play is being staged in the Elizabeth Kenan Theatre at the UNC Center for Dramatic Art; play tickets for either Friday or Saturday night, at the discounted price of $28.00 each, are available by calling the PlayMakers box office (919-962-7529, opening at noon most days) and identifying yourself as a participant in this Humanities Program seminar. You will pay PlayMakers directly for your ticket.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR TEACHERS
The NC Civic Education Consortium will conduct a teacher training in conjunction with this seminar. For details, click here.
For information about lodging click here.
Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.
For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.