History Textbook Dialogue in Northeast Asia and the European Experience: From the Transferring of Experience to Mutual Exchange

Abstract

This paper analyzes how textbook dialogues are carried out between countries that have experienced colonialism (as either imperial power or colony) or have been a victim or an assailant in a war. In particular, it examines how the European experience was accepted in the Northeast Asian history textbook dialogue over the last 20 years and what the limitations of this acceptance have been. The Northeast Asian textbook dialogue has been reached as a post-war settlement of imperialism and an historical awareness of mutual respect. Post-war issues were clearly settled in the Germany-France, Germany-Poland textbook dialogue but most European countries have not initiated textbook dialogues with their former colonies. This paper argues that it is a significant achievement that Korea, a former colony, has established a new type of textbook dialogue for settling issues of colonialism while at the same time embracing the achievements of the European textbook dialogues. Further, this paper suggests that such experiences in Northeast Asia could contribute to efforts in Europe.