

Gennifer Weisenfeld, "Gas Mask Nation: Visualizing Civil Air Defense in Wartime Japan" (U Chicago Press, 2023)
Sep 5, 2023
Gennifer Weisenfeld, Author of Gas Mask Nation: Visualizing Civil Air Defense in Wartime Japan, discusses the multilayered construction of an anxious yet pleasurable visual culture of Japanese civil air defense. Topics include the connection between pleasure and pain, the allure of technology in wartime Japan, the relationship between gas masks and nuclear weapons, and the fascination with airplanes and civil defense. The speaker also emphasizes the relevance of studying the period of anticipation before air raids in understanding current experiences of living with constant fear.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction
00:00 • 2min
360 Degree Art History: Exploring the Visual Culture of Wartime Japan
02:28 • 22min
Exploring the Aesthetics of Technology and the Allure of Science Fiction in Wartime Japan
24:16 • 6min
Connections between Gas Masks, Nuclear Weapons, and Total Annihilation
29:58 • 4min
The Relationship Between Offense and Defense in Wartime Japan
33:35 • 8min
Analyzing Visual Materials from Japan and Other Countries
41:21 • 11min