Rehearsing Experiences and the Potential of Mnemonic Practice

Abstract

This research aims to rethink the meanings of the act of narrating discrimination in an anti-military movement. While narrating discrimination has been scrutinised as a teleological performance, it has not been examined as the process of verbalising an experience that is difficult to put into words. Considering this academic situation, it would be necessary to recognise the significance of addressing the issue that people narrate discrimination is likely to be influenced directly by their understanding of the norm of “political correctness” in the movement. Then it will be possible to explore the discussion on mnemonic practices that can open the possibility of reconnecting to others through noticing mishear. Through examining how I had misheard the narrative of a participant of the anti-military movement in Okinawa, whose parents are ex-leprosy patients, this paper tries to shed light on the language order related to narrating discrimination and uncover how noticing that I had misheard the voices of others can transform existing relationships and/or memories.