Merle Kartscher

Merle Kartscher is a PhD candidate at Harvard University, where she focuses on modern East Asian history and gender history. Her research interests encompass the transnational history of the Japanese Empire, the cultural and social dimensions of Japanese imperialism and colonialism in East Asia, and women’s intellectual and social projects within this context.

In her dissertation, Merle examines the roles of women in the Japanese Empire through their membership in women’s organisations in colonised Taiwan and Korea, 1895-1945. The study uses imperial and pan-Asian feminisms as an analytical lens to move beyond the binary representation of women as passive actors or fervent colonists and highlight the complex needs and aspirations they pursued within the colonial system instead. By examining the intersections between imperial ideology, (quasi-)feminist concerns, and personal ambition, this research situates women’s experiences of Japanese imperialism within the context of global gender and empire studies.

At the DIJ, Merle will focus on intensive archival research, and hopes for the opportunity to consult Japan-based experts in the field.