This conference delves into the complex ethical dimensions of World War II as represented in literature. By examining the nuanced portrayals of occupation, collaboration, and resistance, the event seeks to explore how literature uniquely configures the memory of wartime complicities. Scholars from around the globe will present case studies that shed light on the diverse positionalities constructed in literary works, addressing the ethical questions woven into the fabric of military occupations. The conference will cover topics such as the agency of perpetrators, indirect participation in war crimes, “impure resistance,” and the challenge to silence and taboos in memory culture. Through this interdisciplinary lens, the event aims to move beyond binary conceptions of guilt and innocence, offering a multifaceted understanding of World War II’s impact on cultural memory.
