Japan Project

This site supports the student and volunteer work on the US Military Violence Against Women Project, started in Fall 2008 under the direction of Dr. Linda Pershing at California State University San Marcos.

The results of this ongoing project are available at the USMVAW Site. 

There are two kinds of materials you will want to investigate in the library and beyond.

Primary sources

• letters,
• diaries,
• newspaper reports (at the time of the event),
• maps or
• other first-person accounts and evidence.

Many primary sources can be in another language and for undergraduate research purposes, a reputable translation is acceptable.

Secondary sources
Are articles and books that review a number of works to create a text. Keep in mind that primary sources are contemporary to the event and secondary sources are frequently written years after the event or time period. Many secondary sources will be based on research in primary sources.

As this project is investigating violence by the military against women, primarily in Japan, much of the materials will be in languages other than English, or may be print-format in archives or kept in restricted collections.

Ask for help from those with language skills and the librarians:

Allison Carr for women's studies-related questions and
Judith Downie for historical and US government resources.