Silencing Memories (Cultural Amnesia, Silencing Memories (Cultural Amnesia, Censorship, Denial) and Globalization Censorship, Denial) and Globalization of Memory Discoursesof Memory Discourses

Recall: Iconoclasm as a form of suppression of collective memoryRecall: Iconoclasm as a form of suppression of collective memory•Iconoclasm vs. vandalism : deliberate destruction of images Iconoclasm vs. vandalism : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political etc. vs. Ignorant behaviourrooted in religious, political etc. vs. Ignorant behaviour

Example: Example: Destruction of 3rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan completed March 12, 2002completed March 12, 2002

Recommended readingsRecommended readings

Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Silencing the Past. Silencing the Past. Power and the Production of History.Power and the Production of History. Boston: Boston: Beacon Press, 1995.Beacon Press, 1995.

Post, Robert (ed.). Post, Robert (ed.). Censorship and Silencing. Censorship and Silencing. Practices of Cultural Regulation.Practices of Cultural Regulation. Santa Monica: Santa Monica: Getty Research Institute. 1998. Getty Research Institute. 1998.

Eyerman, Ron. Eyerman, Ron. Cultural Trauma… Cultural Trauma… Cambridge Cambridge U. Press 2001.U. Press 2001.

Gross, David. Gross, David. Lost Time. Lost Time. Boston: U. Mass. Boston: U. Mass. Press 2000.Press 2000.

Historical changes in attitudes Historical changes in attitudes to Memory (Gross)to Memory (Gross)

Ancient WorldAncient World– Real or mythical originsReal or mythical origins– rituals as commemoration or memory work rituals as commemoration or memory work – Forgetting as transgressionForgetting as transgression

ObjectivesObjectives– Situate self and society with respect to othersSituate self and society with respect to others– Establish legitimacy through continuity with pastEstablish legitimacy through continuity with past

Memory in Medieval European Memory in Medieval European traditions & Modern Worldtraditions & Modern World

Memory was “christianized” in medieval timeMemory was “christianized” in medieval time– Old traditions and rituals still present but Old traditions and rituals still present but

meanings changed (ex. Christmas replaced meanings changed (ex. Christmas replaced winter festivals)winter festivals)

– But societies still looked to the pastBut societies still looked to the past

Modernity Modernity

– emphasized the “new”emphasized the “new”– Focus on rationalismFocus on rationalism– Notion of “progress” (every new society or Notion of “progress” (every new society or

situation an improvement)situation an improvement)– Industrial revolution– fractured mnemonic Industrial revolution– fractured mnemonic

communitiescommunities

Postmodernism & globalization Postmodernism & globalization of memory discoursesof memory discourses

Heiddiger – forgetting as soon as possibleHeiddiger – forgetting as soon as possible Awareness of mediation processes that frame Awareness of mediation processes that frame

and change depictions of the pastand change depictions of the past Confusion regarding desirability of Confusion regarding desirability of

remembering or forgettingremembering or forgetting Reframing traumatic memories to change the Reframing traumatic memories to change the

present and the future….present and the future….

Collective Memory and Cultural Collective Memory and Cultural Trauma DiscourseTrauma Discourse

Mental capacity to retrieve information and Mental capacity to retrieve information and performed learned mental operationsperformed learned mental operations

Content of recollectionsContent of recollections Location of where recollections are storedLocation of where recollections are stored Memory in the process of identity-formation Memory in the process of identity-formation Past becomes present through Past becomes present through embodied embodied

discourse & behaviourdiscourse & behaviour

Collective memory of trauma as Collective memory of trauma as form of Public commemorationform of Public commemoration

Creation of social solidarityCreation of social solidarity Shared understandings provide cognitive map Shared understandings provide cognitive map

to orient individualsto orient individuals Defines Defines temporal maptemporal map unifying group in time unifying group in time

and space, distinguising between past, and space, distinguising between past, present and futurepresent and future

Collective representations of Collective representations of cultural trauma & Identity-cultural trauma & Identity-formation (Eyerman)formation (Eyerman) Difference between individual & collective Difference between individual & collective

experiences of traumaexperiences of trauma– Not psychological or physical trauma of Not psychological or physical trauma of

individuals but loss of identity & meaning of group individuals but loss of identity & meaning of group that has some social cohesionthat has some social cohesion

Uses of remembrance toUses of remembrance to– form a new group identityform a new group identity– Establish solidarity amongst people with different Establish solidarity amongst people with different

experiences and feelings experiences and feelings

Definitions of cultural trauma Definitions of cultural trauma (Smelzer)(Smelzer) Memory accepted by members of a groupMemory accepted by members of a group Evokes an event of situation Evokes an event of situation

– Laden with negative affectLaden with negative affect– IndelibleIndelible– Threatening existence or violating fundamental cultural Threatening existence or violating fundamental cultural

presuppoisition of a societypresuppoisition of a society Trauma links past to present through mediation Trauma links past to present through mediation

processes that negotiate accepted interpretations of processes that negotiate accepted interpretations of the past & imaginative reconstructionthe past & imaginative reconstruction

Mediation processesMediation processes Memories not only through Memories not only through

direct experiencedirect experience Mediated experience, Mediated experience,

involving selective involving selective construction & construction & representation (ex. Spike representation (ex. Spike Lee’s Lee’s When the Levees When the Levees Broke)Broke)

Mediators as “public Mediators as “public intellectuals” who negotiate intellectuals” who negotiate between the cultural & between the cultural & political spheres articulating political spheres articulating ideas to and for othersideas to and for others

Mediation as “translation” Mediation as “translation” between different groupsbetween different groups

Remembrance & Forgetting: Remembrance & Forgetting: History & Power (Trouillot)History & Power (Trouillot)

Power & invisibility “the ultimate mark of Power & invisibility “the ultimate mark of power may be its invisibility”power may be its invisibility”

Distinctions between what happened and Distinctions between what happened and what was said to have happenedwhat was said to have happened

Interplay between historical process & our Interplay between historical process & our knowledge of itknowledge of it

Fundamental ambiguity but power of historical Fundamental ambiguity but power of historical accounts to accounts to produce, classify, construct…produce, classify, construct…

Cultural trauma discourseCultural trauma discourse

What is the purpose of does communicating What is the purpose of does communicating about cultural trauma?about cultural trauma?– Reconfigure collective identityReconfigure collective identity– Articulate the foundations for “new identities”Articulate the foundations for “new identities”

Political, psychological, social agendasPolitical, psychological, social agendas

– Openness to new forms and attempt to leave Openness to new forms and attempt to leave other mnemonic conventions behindother mnemonic conventions behind

– Arrive at consensus about the meaning of Arrive at consensus about the meaning of traumatic situations through narrations traumatic situations through narrations

Fiction vs. Fact in Collective Fiction vs. Fact in Collective Memory Narratives about Cultural Memory Narratives about Cultural TraumaTrauma Credibility: cultural differences in attitudes Credibility: cultural differences in attitudes

towards fictional narratives & facttowards fictional narratives & fact Realist vs. constructivist approaches to Realist vs. constructivist approaches to

assessing authenticityassessing authenticity Contextual factors in legitimation of narrator’s Contextual factors in legitimation of narrator’s

perspectiveperspective– structural position of narrator(s) structural position of narrator(s)

socio-cultural, economic, political, ideological etc…socio-cultural, economic, political, ideological etc…

– Role (insider or member vs. outsider or non-Role (insider or member vs. outsider or non-member etc.)member etc.)

Examples Examples

African American efforts to rework collective African American efforts to rework collective memory through rethinking remembrance of memory through rethinking remembrance of slaveryslavery– Slavery traumatic but in retrospectSlavery traumatic but in retrospect– Potential to unite African Americans in the US Potential to unite African Americans in the US

whether or no they had any knowledge or feeling whether or no they had any knowledge or feeling for Africafor Africa

Case studies for short reports—Case studies for short reports—Remembrance & making sure history not Remembrance & making sure history not repeated;’: Nanjing massacre, Pearl repeated;’: Nanjing massacre, Pearl Harbour, Salvadorian civil war etc… Harbour, Salvadorian civil war etc…

Passage from Trouillot—Passage from Trouillot—silencing the pastsilencing the past

Censorship & Silencing (Post)Censorship & Silencing (Post)

Post maintians that censorship is everywhere Post maintians that censorship is everywhere Different motivations for silencing the past Different motivations for silencing the past

depending on the case & perspective of the depending on the case & perspective of the narratornarrator

Importance of understanding context of Importance of understanding context of recollection or silencingrecollection or silencing

Censorship rights of Aboriginal peoples as Censorship rights of Aboriginal peoples as challenges to Western liberal thoughtchallenges to Western liberal thought

Second Short Report Second Short Report Presentations (continued)Presentations (continued)

Second Part of Class: More Second Part of Class: More Discussion of Term Discussion of Term AssignmentAssignment HandoutHandout 4 4 Primary & secondary sourcesPrimary & secondary sources Class Class PresentationPresentation Dates Dates for Term for Term

Assignment (will be split in two groups)Assignment (will be split in two groups)