Details of the Researcher

PHOTO

Gerster Damerow Julia
Section
International Research Institute of Disaster Science
Job title
Associate Professor
e-Rad No.
90842716

Professional Memberships 9

  • Anthropology of Japan in Japan (AJJ)

    2025 - Present

  • Japan Society for Disaster Recovery and Revitalization

    2025 - Present

  • Japan Anthropology Workshop (JAWS)

    2022 - Present

  • Memory Studies Association (MSA)

    2021 - Present

  • Kataribe Worls Network (KWN)

    2021 - Present

  • The Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology (JASCA)

    2021 - Present

  • Association for Asian Studies (AAS)

    2020 - Present

  • European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS)

    2015 - Present

  • Deutsch-Japanische Jugendgesellschaft (DJJG)

    2013 - Present

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Research Interests 5

  • Disaster Memory

  • Memory Studies

  • collective memory

  • cultural memory

  • Disaster Studies, Social Recovery, Negative Heritage, Local Culture, Japanese Studies, Disaster Risk Education, Bosai

Papers 37

  1. 「二度と繰り返さない」――日本とドイツにおける語り部活動と課題 ["Never again": Challenges in kataribe and contemporary witness activities in Japan and Germany.]

    Julia Gerster

    Kataribe World Network　2026/03/11

  2. みんなにやさしいインクルーシブ防災とは？[What is inclusive disaster preparedness that is kind to everyone?]

    Julia Gerster

    Lifezack Media Academia Contents　2025/12/01

  3. Loss, Place, and Rituals: Community Commemoration in Iwate Prefecture after 3.11 Invited Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    Handbook of Disaster Studies in Japan　566-582　2025/09

  4. Storytelling and the Arts as Tools in Disaster Education: Tohoku University’s “Kataritsugi” and the Stories of 3.11 Invited Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    Handbook of Disaster Studies in Japan (Edited by Paola Cavaliere and Junko Otani)　391-406　2025/09

  5. School memorials as sites of memory and the dynamics of remembrance after the Great East Japan Earthquake Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster, Akihiro Shibayama

    Social Science Japan Journal　2025/04/25

    DOI： 10.1093/ssjj/jyaf029 　

  6. Part II: Using a Digital Archive for Teaching and Research

    Sébastien Boret, Julia Gerster, Andrew Gordon, Ryo Morimoto, Keiichi Sato, Akihiro Shibayama

    Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus　2025/04/12

  7. Zadankai: The Future and Politics of Disaster Digital Archiving

    Sébastien Boret, Julia Gerster, Andrew Gordon, Ryo Morimoto, Keiichi Sato, Akihiro Shibayama

    Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus　2025/04/11

  8. Lessons for Disaster Digital Archives: The Making and Use of the Japan Disaster Digital Archive (JDA)

    Julia Gerster

    Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus　2025/03/11

  9. Inventory and Thematic Typological Analysis of 3.11 Picture Books Peer-reviewed

    Elizabeth Maly, Ryo Saito, Julia Gerster, Naomi Chiba

    Journal of Disaster Research　19　(6)　935-942　2024/12/01

    Publisher: Fuji Technology Press Ltd.

    DOI： 10.20965/jdr.2024.p0935 　

    ISSN： 1881-2473

    eISSN： 1883-8030

    More details Close

    After the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster (3.11) of March 11, 2011, the use of various media to convey disaster experiences and lessons grew, including a large number of 3.11 picture books. However, there has been limited scholarship on these books, and no comprehensive database of 3.11 picture books exists. This research conducted an comprehensive inventory of 3.11 picture books published in the 13 years after the disaster, until March 2024. 122 titles met the criteria of being picture books with stories related to the 3.11 disasters, and an initial survey identified general trends in their publication over time and by publication type. Through investigating themes and contents, the authors identified six primary narrative typological categories: (1) disaster impact stories, that focus on telling what happened; (2) disaster risk reduction action or evacuation stories; (3) stories of local pride (place attachment); (4) stories with hopeful or positive messages for the future; (5) stories of loss; and (6) stories about nature and animals. As initial research, this paper represents a unique contribution to the growing body of literature on disaster storytelling media and clarifies the characteristics of 3.11 picture books as a body of work. Building on this comprehensive inventory and thematical categorization of 3.11 picture books, the authors expect future research to further analyze the text and image contents of these books, leading to deeper understanding of the contributions of 3.11 picture books towards not only emotional care, but also raising disaster awareness.

  10. Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (Japan) Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences　689-694　2024/11/12

    Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

    DOI： 10.4337/9781800882201.ch110 　

  11. Guest editorial: Tensions between tradition and innovation in disaster risk reduction, climate action and reconstruction Peer-reviewed

    Elizabeth Maly, Tamiyo Kondo, Julia Gerster

    Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal　33　(5)　453-454　2024/11/12

    Publisher: Emerald

    DOI： 10.1108/dpm-11-2024-427 　

    ISSN： 0965-3562

    eISSN： 1758-6100

  12. Introduction: Disaster and Justice

    Julia Gerster

    Japan's Triple Disaster. Pursuing Justice after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Nuclear Accident　2023/06

  13. Japan’s Triple Disaster

    Natalia Novikova, Julia Gerster, Manuela G. Hartwig

    2023/04/05

    Publisher: Routledge

    DOI： 10.4324/9781003340737 　

  14. 復興中の居場所とジェンダーの役割：３．１１ は「機会の窓」になったのか？

    Julia Gerster

    災害後を生きるーー慰霊と回復の災害 人文学　189-207　2023

  15. Framing Negative Heritage in Disaster Education: School Memorials after 3.11 Invited Peer-reviewed

    Gerster, J., Fulco, F.

    East and West　16　165-189　2023

    DOI： 10.1163/9789004512986_008 　

    ISSN： 2467-9704

  16. More than Mushrooms: Local Food Culture and Place-making After “Fukushima” Invited

    Gerster, J.

    Community Responses to Disasters in the Pacific Rim: Place-making in Displacement　77-94　2023

    DOI： 10.4324/9781003206415-7 　

  17. 福島第一原子力発電所の原子力災害の伝承とツーリズムの可能性 Invited

    Julia Gerster

    福島復興の視点・論点　587-601　2023

  18. Japan’s Disaster Memorial Museums and framing 3.11: Othering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in cultural memory

    Gerster, J., Maly, E.

    Contemporary Japan　34　(2)　187-209　2022/07/03

    Publisher: Informa UK Limited

    DOI： 10.1080/18692729.2022.2112479 　

    ISSN： 1869-2737 1869-2729

    eISSN： 1869-2737

  19. The potential of disaster digital archives in disaster education: The case of the Japan disasters digital archive (JDA) and its geo-location functions Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster, Sebastien Penmellen Boret, Ryo Morimoto, Andrew Gordon, Akihiro Shibayama

    International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction　77　103085-103085　2022/07

    Publisher: Elsevier BV

    DOI： 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103085 　

    ISSN： 2212-4209

  20. [C24] Disaster Digital Archives and disaster education: Three workshop examples using the Japan Disasters Digital Archive (JDA) in different phases of the Covid-19 pandemic

    GERSTER Julia, SHIBAYAMA Akihiro, MORIMOTO Ryo, GORDON D. Andrew, BORET Penmellen Sébastien

    Dejitaru Akaibu Gakkaishi　6　(s3)　s190-s193　2022

    Publisher: Japan Society for Digital Archive

    DOI： 10.24506/jsda.6.s3_s190 　

    ISSN： 2432-9762

    eISSN： 2432-9770

  21. ボランティア元年っていつのこと

    Julia Gerster

    地球防災ラボ　2022

  22. Alltag und Erinnerung. Der Nordosten Japans nach der Dreifachkatastrophe von 2011 Invited Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    Japan - ein Land im Umbruch　279-294　2022

  23. Always be prepared: My unexpected encounter with the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011

    Julia Gerster

    Easy Japanese　6-6　2022/01

  24. Out of the Dark: The Challenges of Branding Post-Disaster Tourism Ten Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster, Sebastien Penmellen Boret, Akihiro Shibayama

    Euro-Asia Tourism Studies Journal　2　2021/11/28

    DOI： 10.58345/BJOV5890 　

  25. Post-Disaster Tourism and the recovery of the Tohoku region.

    Julia Gerster

    Urban-rural migration and rural revitalization in Japan Research Blog　2021/11

  26. Kizuna: Reflections on the promotion of social cohesion during more than ten years of recovery.

    Julia Gerster

    Japan Anthropology Workshop (JAWS) Newsletter　2021/11

  27. 東日本大震災の震災デジタルアーカイブの10年間の歩み

    柴山明寛, ゲルスタ ユリア

    信学技報　121　(49)　32-37　2021/10

  28. Between debris and memorial: The meaning of disaster-affected objects for local residents within the recovery process after the Great East Japan Earthquake

    Julia Gerster

    Japan Anthropology Workshop (JAWS) Newsletter　2021/08

  29. Researching the Merits of Disaster Digital Archives in Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Japan: The Case of the Japan Disasters Digital Archive (JDA) and its Geolocation Function.

    Julia Gerster

    2021

  30. Between "Place and Story": the Ishinomaki Archive’s Endeavor to link pre- and post- 3.11. Peer-reviewed

    Kohei Takahara, Julia Gerster, Yuki Sadaike, Akiko Okubori, Yutaka Onodera

    40　2021

  31. Social lives of tsunami walls in Japan: Concrete culture, social innovation and coastal communities Peer-reviewed

    Sébastien Penmellen Boret, Julia Gerster

    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science　2021/01/01

    DOI： 10.1088/1755-1315/630/1/012029 　

    ISSN： 1755-1307 1755-1315

    More details Close

    <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This paper is the beginning of a reflection on the ways in which the Great East Japan Disaster (2011) might have changed people’s perception of seawalls and hard coastal defence in Japan. A highly developed society that is prone to frequent large tsunamis and storm surges, Japan’s spending on physical coastal defence has few equals around the world. The development of sea defence became a priority during the 1960-70s when coastal engineers and related agencies developed national standards. One of the chief strategies has been the edification of seawalls and other hard structures, which today surround more than 40% of Japan’s coastlines. This technological advancement might have created a general sentiment of security and trust in the ability of these coastal structures to protect coastal communities, their infrastructures and their nuclear plants. On March 11 2011, however, this general sense of safety was hardly shaken by a M9 earthquake and its ensuing tsunami taking away the lives of over 15,000 individuals and causing a material loss of over 210 billion dollars. If experts had anticipated such a large earthquake, the height of the tsunami waves and the extent of the damaged suffered along the coast of northeast Japan surpassed even the most pessimistic predictions. Reflecting on the impact of this tragedy, this paper is a first attempt to appreciate whether Japanese people’s perception of and approaches to seawalls and other coastal defences might have changed as a result. The first part of this paper provides a brief analytical overview of the culture of sea defence and its socio-economic significance in Japanese society. The second part examines more specifically the ways in which seawalls might have influenced people’s behaviour during the events of the Great East Japan Earthquake, including their creating a false-sense of security. Finally, the third part focuses on relatively innovative approaches to coastal defence in post-disaster Japan, with a particular focus on a national project known as the Great Forest Wall. Rather than its engineering efficacy, the interest in this project lies in the ways in which the project might inform us of changing people relationships and ideas with coastal defence.</jats:p>

  32. Picturing translocal matters in a mobile world: Photography as a method of ethnographic research at a Japanese gathering in Berlin Peer-reviewed

    Gerster, J., Morokhova, N.

    Contemporary Japan　32　(2)　1-24　2020/04/02

    Publisher: Informa UK Limited

    DOI： 10.1080/18692729.2020.1735050 　

    ISSN： 1869-2737 1869-2729

    eISSN： 1869-2737

  33. Coding: Mapping the mountains of ethnographic post-disaster data

    Julia Gerster

    Studying Japan. Research Designs, Fieldwork and Methods.　2020

  34. Kataritsugi: Storytelling as a method in disaster risk education.

    Julia Gerster

    Proceedings of the 17th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 17WCEE, Sendai, Japan　2020

  35. Hierarchies of affectedness: Kizuna, perceptions of loss, and social dynamics in post-3.11 Japan Peer-reviewed

    Gerster, J.

    International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction　41　101304-101304　2019/12

    Publisher: Elsevier BV

    DOI： 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101304 　

    ISSN： 2212-4209

  36. Beneath the invisible cloud: Kamishibai after 3.11 Between Disaster Risk Reduction and Memorialization Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    The Amfieteater Journal of Performing Arts Theory,　7　(1)　64-82　2019/06

    ISSN： 1855-850X

  37. The Online-Offline Nexus: Social Media and Ethnographic Fieldwork in Post-3.11 Northeast Japan Peer-reviewed

    Julia Gerster

    ASIEN　149　14-32　2018/10

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Misc. 17

  1. ‘Life is a Miracle,’ but learning from disasters isn’t: Lessons from Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami

    Julia Gerster

    The Conversation　2026/03/10

  2. Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Remembering 3/11 as Japan and the world reflect on improving disaster preparedness

    Julia Gerster

    The Japan Times　2026/03/10

  3. Book Review of Anthropology and Disaster in Japan: Cultural Contributions to Recovery After the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami. By Hiroki Takakura, ‎ Routledge, 2023.

    Julia Gerster

    Northeast Asian Studies　30　107-114　2026/03

  4. Book Review of Life Beyond the Tōhoku Disasters. Autonomy and Adaptability in Coastal Japan by Alyne E. Delaney, Lanham: Lexington Books, 2024, 197 pages. Invited

    Julia Gerster

    Northeast Asian Studies　30　115-120　2026/03

  5. Preserving the memory of 3/11 is becoming more difficult. Disaster storytellers and memorial facilities in Tohoku are grappling with dwindling funds.

    Julia Gerster

    The Japan Times　2025/03/11

  6. より良い未来のために経験を分かち合う：日本とドイツにおける証言者の活動 Invited

    1-4　2024/09

  7. Women’s needs in disasters are still not accounted for. The gender imbalances that plague Japan become starker in emergency situations Invited

    Julia Gerster

    The Japan Times　2024/04/15

  8. No one left behind: Japan needs to work on its multicultural disaster response. When preparing for the worst, a diverse nation must consider its foreign nationals, too. Invited

    Julia Gerster

    The Japan Times　2024/01/30

  9. Introduction to Pursuing disaster justice after 3.11.

    Natalia Novikova, Julia Gerster, Manuela Hartwig

    Japan’s Triple Disaster Pursuing Justice after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Nuclear Accident　1-10　2023

  10. Book Review of Earthquake Children. Building Resilience from the Ruins of Tokyo. By Janet Borland Harvard University Asia Center, 2020 352 pages.

    Julia Gerster

    Japan Review　2023

    Publisher: Japan Review

  11. 遺構と呼びますか？ Invited

    Julia Gerster

    震災学　107-110　2023

  12. The Vocabulary of Natural Disaster Digital Archives

    柴山明寛, GERSTER Julia

    東北地域災害科学研究　58　2022

  13. [C24] Disaster Digital Archives and disaster education: Three workshop examples using the Japan Disasters Digital Archive (JDA) in different phases of the Covid-19 pandemic

    GERSTER Julia, 柴山明寛, 森本涼, GORDON D. Andrew, BORET Penmellen Sebastien

    デジタルアーカイブ学会誌(Web)　6　(s3)　2022

    ISSN： 2432-9770

  14. 災害ボランティア、子供でもできることがある？

    Julia Gerster

    The Asahi Shimbun　2020/03/11

  15. Die Recovery Olympics und der lange Weg der Heilung. Neun Jahre nach dem Ostjapanischen Erdbeben brechen Schüler ihr Schweigen.

    Julia Gerster

    Lindauer Zeitung　2020/03/11

  16. Sicherheit ist relativ

    Julia Gerster

    Die Zeit　2017/03/12

  17. Der Wiederaufbau der Seele beginnt erst jetzt

    Julia Gerster

    Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)　2017/03/11

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Books and Other Publications 1

  1. Japan's triple disaster : pursuing justice after the great East Japan earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear accident

    Novikova, Natalia, Gerster, Julia, Hartwig, Manuela G

    Routledge　2023

    ISBN: 9781032375465

Presentations 29

  1. The impact of and recovery from the 3.11 Disasters

    Julia Gerster

    Tohoku University, University of Washington Workshop　2026/03/23

  2. 災害伝承と多様性 多様な経験を教訓にするには？

    Julia Gerster

    東日本大震災から１５年とこれからのBosai　2026/03/21

  3. 学校の震災エピソードの収集と教育資源化のDX―イベント記憶検索のための空間的手がかりの地理心理学デザイン―

    齋藤玲, 永田彰平, 二本松直人, Elizabeth Maly, Gerster Julia, 村井明日香, 登本洋子, 菅原弘一, 小田隆史, 桜井愛子, 佐藤健, 邑本俊亮

    東日本大震災・原子力災害 第４回 学術研究集会　2026/03/19

  4. 若者語り継ぎセッション（ファシリテーター）

    Julia Gerster, Kumiko Yamaji

    全国被災地語り部シンポジウム　2026/03/01

  5. Japan's memory of difficult pasts in international perspective 「日本の困難な記憶と記録を国際的な視点から考える」

    Julia Gerster, Annaclaudia Martini, Fatma Ozdogan, Kumiko Yamaji

    全国被災地語り部シンポジウム　2026/03/01

  6. 紙芝居と災害伝承を考える

    Julia Gerster

    絵本・紙芝居・漫画：災害を伝えるメディアの力　2026/02/10

  7. Teaching the "never again": Gender representations at peace and disaster memorial museums in Japan.

    Julia Gerster

    Towards Inclusive Crisisonomy: Aging, Disability, and Adaptive Systems in Asia　2025/12/20

  8. Gedenken an Natur(?)katastrophen: Zur sozialen Konstruktion von Katastrophengedächtnissen Invited

    Julia Gerster

    TU Dortmund　2025/12/10

  9. School memorials as sites of memory and the dynamics of remembrance after the Great East Japan Earthquake

    Julia Gerster, Akihiro Shibayama

    FU Berlin　2025/12/08

  10. School memorials as sites of memory and the dynamics of remembrance after the Great East Japan Earthquake

    Julia Gerster, Akihiro Shibayama

    Contested Heritage as Shared Responsibility　2025/12/05

  11. Depicting marginalized voices in disaster preparedness Invited

    Julia Gerster

    Visuals, Digital research, and Life Narratives in Urban and Rural Japan　2025/11/14

  12. Disaster Utopias and Hierarchies of Affectedness: Discussions on altruism in post-disaster communities

    Julia Gerster

    Cultural and Cognitive Perspectives on Disaster Response　2025/11/06

  13. Gender Issues and Disaster Recovery and Memory

    Julia Gerster

    2025/11/04

  14. From Destruction to Remembrance: The Politics and Practices of Disaster Memory Invited

    Julia Gerster

    Kobe University　2025/10/27

  15. Recycling Nuclear Narratives in Contemporary Japan

    Julia Gerster

    EAJS　2025/09/21

  16. Kataribe's counter memories and witnessing in post-disaster Japan Invited

    Julia Gerster

    DISSONANT MEMORIES: GEOGRAPHIES OF MIGRATION, COLONIALISM, AND TRAUMA　2025/09/07

  17. We Were Here Too! Conveying Diverse Disaster Experiences through Japanese Paper Theater

    Julia Gerster, Kaoru Ueda

    AIWEST　2025/08/21

  18. Preservation and Dissemination of Diverse Disaster Narratives through Kamishibai

    Julia Gerster, Kaoru Ueda

    Resilience Workshop　2025/07/25

  19. From War to Disaster: Rethinking Gender and Resilience in Japan’s Memorial Spaces

    Julia Gerster

    Memory Studies Conference　2025/07/17

  20. Learn to Protect Yourself

    Julia Gerster

    Multicultural Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop　2025/06/14

  21. Coping with Trauma. Through Storytelling: Insights from Disaster Kamishibai

    Julia Gerster, Kaoru Ueda

    Japan Anthropology Workshop (JAWS)　2025/04/04

  22. Disaster Utopias and Corrosive Communities: Insights from the 3.11 disasters

    Julia Gerster

    ICU Peace Studies　2025/03/22

  23. Narrating Disasters

    Julia Gerster

    Trauma and Narratives Workshop　2025/03/21

  24. 災害と紙芝居

    Julia Gerster

    紙芝居による災害伝承 日本在住外国人の視点　2025/03/20

  25. Kataribe and Challenges in Transmitting Disaster Memory in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima

    Julia Gerster

    Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference　2025/03/14

  26. Commentary on Foreign Residents and Disaster Risk Invited

    Julia Gerster

    社会情報学会 東北支部研究会　2025/03/08

  27. School Memorials as Sites of Memory after the Great East Japan Earthquake Invited

    Julia Gerster

    Disasters and Heritage　2025/02/10

  28. 災害伝承とジェンダー : 被災者の多様な教訓は伝承されているのか Invited

    Gerster, Julia

    防災とジェンダーのセミナー　2025/02/10

  29. 災害伝承と女性の視点

    Gerster Julia

    災害伝承ワークショップ・多様な視点からの学び　2025/01/26

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Research Projects 11

  1. Revisiting the Educational Tourism at War Heritage Sites: An Asian Perspective Beyond Dark Tourism

    Offer Organization: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

    System: Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

    Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

    Institution: Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

    2023/04 - 2028/03

  2. Dortmund Gambrinus Fellowships

    Offer Organization: TU Dortmund

    Institution: TU Dortmund

    2025/06 - 2026/04

  3. The integration of mass trauma in collective identity through negative heritage preservation and disaster tourism in Tohoku after the Great East Japan Earthquake

    Gerster Julia

    Offer Organization: 日本学術振興会

    System: 科学研究費助成事業

    Category: 若手研究

    Institution: 東北大学

    2021/04 - 2026/03

    More details Close

    I gained an overview on the current state of research in the field of memory studies, especially concerning collective and cultural memory of traumatic events, including natural hazard induced disasters, social violence hazards, or biological hazards. A preliminary literature review revealed that most studies on collective and cultural memory of traumatic events on European responses to WW2. Although Japanese commemoration of WW2 is a topic in Japanese studies, Hiroshima remains the main topic and there is little discussion outside of the Area Studies. Representations and memory practices related to natural hazard induced disasters were only recently picked up by researchers in Japan but the topic seems gain international interest. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic international research could not yet be carried out and domestic research was restricted but I managed to analyze several disaster museum exhibitions in Japan and participate in several online events on trauma and collective memory.

  4. The Disaster Picture Book Project—international comparative analysis of narratives, texts, and images in disaster picture books

    Elizabeth Maly, Julia Gerster, Ryo Saito, Naomi Chiba

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    2023 - 2025

  5. 津波避難に関する⾏動変容促進⼿法の体系的整理と新たな⼿法の探索

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2025 -

  6. 助ける⾏動の⼼理学：性格と⽂化に基づく災害時の認知的判断プロセスの解明

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2025 -

  7. Conveying difficult pasts: learning from similarities in storytelling between Tōhoku disaster and WWII experiences in Japan

    Yoshida, Kaori, Bui, Huong, Gerster, Julia

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    Institution: Asia Pacific University

    2025 -

  8. Memory-making as a practice of forgetting: post 3.11 Tohoku and post 1.1 Noto

    Gerster, Julia, Annaclaudia Martini

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2025 -

  9. Preservation and Dissemination of Diverse Disaster Narratives through Kamishibai

    Gerster, Julia and Ueda, Kaoru

    Offer Organization: Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience, Tohoku University

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2024 -

  10. Research on digital archives of natural disasters leading to support during disasters

    Offer Organization: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

    System: Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

    Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2020/04 - 2023/03

  11. The integration of negative heritage in rehabilitation strategies in Fukushima Prefecture: Bosai Tourism and Social Services Improvements in depopulated regions in Futaba, Namie, Minamisoma and Soma.

    GERSTER Julia

    Offer Organization: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

    System: Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

    Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up

    Institution: Tohoku University

    2019/08 - 2023/03

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    This research analyzed post-disaster tourism and negative heritage preservation after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. It could clarify a tendency to foreground positive narratives within the disaster response and recovery as featured in tour branding, the selection of disaster heritage sites, and contents of disaster memorial museums. These tendencies led to a greater acceptance of tourism by local communities. Yet, the exclusion of dark topics limits critical educational aspects. Further, this study found vital differences in the challenges faced by Fukushima Prefecture, due the political aspects of the nuclear disaster, that were only partially addressed in tourism content. Finally, this research confirmed tourism as an essential contributor to local economies, and giving agency to disaster-affected people to shape narratives of recovery. Yet, the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the risk of over-relying on tourism as a revitalization method.

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Teaching Experience 5

  1. 福島の復興と再生 (Recovery and Revitalization of Fukushima)　Tohoku University

  2. Erinnern und Vergessen: Einführung in soziale Gedächtnisstudien (Remembering and Forgetting: Introduction to Memory Studies　TU Dortmund

  3. Disaster Digital Archive Lab: The Japan Disasters Digital Archives (JDA) in the classroom　Tohoku University

  4. (Co-Lecturer) Essen in Japan’s gesellschaftlichen und politischen Kontext (Food in Japan's social and political context), exercise accompanying the seminar.　FU Berlin

  5. (TA) Methods in Japanese Studies (exercise)　FU Berlin

Media Coverage 29

  1. 外国人防災リーダー育成進む 同胞と地域のパイプ役として活躍期待

    河北新報

    2026/03/25

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  2. 各国の災害文化〜食文化から考える、ふだんともしもの知恵〜

    暮らしともしもの研究所

    2026/03/14

    Type: Other

  3. 15 Years Since the Disaster in Japan: What Can Europe Learn?

    2026/03/13

    Type: Internet

  4. ネパール・ドイツの保存食

    暮らしともしもの研究所

    2026/03/12

    Type: Internet

  5. 開催レポート：各国の災害文化～食文化から考える、くらしともしもの知恵～

    暮らしともしもの研究所

    2026/03/12

    Type: Internet

  6. 宮城県民１００人に１人が外国人 震災から１５年 日本で暮らす外国人の防災と文化の壁

    仙台放送

    2026/03/02

    Type: TV or radio program

  7. 外国人と防災

    DATE FM　東北大学防災UPDATE

    2026/02/15

    Type: TV or radio program

  8. 災害メモリー学

    DATE FM　東北大学防災UPDATE

    2026/02/01

    Type: TV or radio program

  9. 東北、能登の思い共に

    神戸新聞

    2026/01/18

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  10. Disaster Research in Japan

    三木ラジオ

    2026/01

    Type: TV or radio program

  11. 多文化防災ワークショップが開催された

    NHK

    2025/06/26

    Type: TV or radio program

  12. 誰も取り残さない防災。明日へのヒント

    河北新報

    2025/04/26

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  13. Preserving Disaster Memories for Posterity

    NHK World　Where we call home

    2025/04/21

    Type: TV or radio program

  14. 何をすべきか見つめなおす

    三陸新報

    2025/03/11

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  15. 災害伝承の継続の課題

    DATE FM　東北大学防災UPDATE

    2025/02/16

    Type: TV or radio program

  16. 日本と世界の災害伝承

    DATE FM　東北大学防災UPDATE

    2025/02/02

    Type: TV or radio program

  17. 災害対応多様な視点で

    河北新報

    2025/02/01

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  18. 多様な価値観で復興を

    三陸新報

    2025/01/28

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  19. 外国人の防災対策

    みやこハーバーラジオ多文化共生ラジオ

    2023/12/13

    Type: TV or radio program

  20. 紙芝居と震災伝承

    NHK Fukushima

    2023/09/24

    Type: TV or radio program

  21. 震災伝承を外国人に。ドイツ人研究者の思い

    NHK Miyagi

    2023/08/17

    Type: TV or radio program

  22. 戦争、そして災害の記憶の継承に必要なもの

    望星８号　望星インタビュー

    2023/08

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  23. 仙台滞在外国人向けの防災ワークショップ

    NHK Miyagi

    2023/06/16

    Type: TV or radio program

  24. ともに歩もう。東日本大震災10年

    河北新報

    2021/04/02

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  25. Life ten years after the triple disaster (Estonian)

    Estonian News

    2021/03/11

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  26. 災害の記憶をどう伝える？ウェビナー収録 海外２博物館と結ぶ.

    河北新報

    2020/12/13

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  27. 外国にも教訓発信

    河北新報

    2020/12/12

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  28. Die Katastrophe verbindet Julia Gerster noch enger mit Japan [The bonds of Julia Gerster and Japan tighten due to the disaster]

    Lindauer Zeitung

    2019/06/07

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  29. Leben nach dem Inferno [Life after the inferno]. On the current situation in Fukushima Prefecture.

    Berliner Zeitung

    2019/03/11

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

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