Education and Memorialisation for Disaster Justice: Lessons from Grenfell, Hillsborough and Sewol

Abstract

In the aftermath of tragic disasters, how can societies ensure that justice is served, memories are honoured, and lessons are learned to prevent future disasters? This challenge lies at the heart of disaster justice—a multifaceted concept that encompasses accountability, remembrance, and education. This policy brief synthesises the key insights from a webinar on ‘Education and Memorialisation for Disaster Justice’, hosted by the University of Southampton1in February 2024. The webinar brought together participants from three different communities and was attended by academics in various disciplines, as well as disaster families, activists, and charities. Chaired by Dr Wonyong Park (University of Southampton), three presentations were made to share the education and memorialisation activities following the Hillsborough disaster (1989), the Sewol Ferry disaster (2014) and the Grenfell Tower fire (2017). After a reflection and discussion by Professor Phil Scraton (Queen’s University Belfast), participants discussed issues that emerged across the three disasters. Summarising these discussions, this brief highlights challenges and proposes actionable recommendations for education policymakers and curriculum designers to advance disaster justice through informed education and meaningful remembrance.

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ORCID for Wonyong Park: orcid.org/0000-0002-8911-5968

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