Historicizing Memory: A battle for meaning I. Introduction Since the 1990s, memory studies have become a popular field regrouping specialists of increasingly diverse intellectual expertise. German scholar Aleida Assmann posits that this investment in studying memory can be explained by various factors such as the legacies of great tragedies in the twentieth century (most notably the Holocaust), the fall of “grand narratives” (hastened by the end of the Cold War and the democratisation of former Communist states in Eastern Europe) and by the digital revolution which has challenged previous ways of communication and sharing information. Transitional justice in former dictatorial states notably in Latin America and the ever-increasing importance …show more content…
Historicising Memory: Jelin In a book designed to “problematize, raise questions and to offer reflections that simulate further study and dialogues” Argentine historian and sociologist Elizabeth Jelin gives a thought-provoking discussion on how scholars might apprehend memory. Her emphasis on historicising memory is noteworthy and will be the overarching theme of this essay. While works on collective memory are often interested in the manifestation of such memories (that is, how collective memory is represented), Jelin advances that concern should also be raised on how these very representations change with time and relate to positionality. As she states: “the past is gone, it is already de-termin(at)ed; it cannot be changed. The future, by contrast, is open, uncertain and indeterminate. What can change about the past is its meaning, which is subject to reinterpretations, anchored in intentions and expectation towards the …show more content…
Stern explores how Chileans have struggled to come to terms with their recent violent past following the 1973 coup against Salvador Allende. In each of the three books, Stern centres his analysis on a specific historical interval and reveals the complexity of Chile’s memory battle. In the first addition to the book series, Remembering Pinochet 's Chile: On the Eve of London 1998, Stern studies the memory question in period preceding Pinochet’s 1998 arrest in London. Stern’s very method is one which puts historicisation at its very center. Stern contends
The title of this piece, “Remembered Morning,” establishes what the speaker describes in the stanzas that follow as memory; this fact implies many themes that accompany works concerning the past: nostalgia, regret, and romanticism, for instance. The title, therefore, provides a lens through which to view the speaker’s observations.
The strong relationship created between history and memory is one of a vexing nature due to deliberate selection and emphasis. It does however result in a confluence of different representations, that is, personal stories (memory) and public stories (history). Mark Baker’s biography and autobiography ‘The Fiftieth Gate: A Journey Through Memory’, explores his parents’ memories which are both verified and contradicted by Baker’s historical findings, as each asserts their claim through these different theories of representation drawing on such established criteria as evidence, accuracy, authenticity, authority and detail. Steven Spielberg’s horror-psychological thriller film, ‘Schindler’s List’ shows how amongst the abhorrence of the Holocaust, one man can make a difference for the better and leave a legacy of his generosity but it is also a question of what else he did that wasn’t emphasised due to the context of the film. Lastly, the poem ‘The Send-Off’ by Wilfred Owen expresses Owen’s personal feelings towards war which is enunciated through his strong emotive language.
The Hunger of Memory is an autobiography of an immigrant. When Rodriguez started going to the Roman Catholic elementary school he only knew about a few words of English. His parents had to speak more English with their children around the house a...
In chapter one of Moonwalking with Einstein, Joshua Foer discusses memory and persuades the reader of its importance. Foer’s primary claim is that memory is essential. Joshua Foer uses a variety of different voicing techniques to create intimate distance. He also uses a variety of analytical and stylistic techniques to emphasize the importance of his claim and to persuade the reader. He supports his argument by discussing the impact of memory on daily life, the positive effects of improving one’s memory, and the incomplete nature of our collective memory as a society without external resources.
...his house, not able to leave for long periods or even socialize living in a total isolation to that resemble the hopeless feelings of Argentine’s during 1970s. Through Colotto’s memory and constant attempt to relive its pass, Argentina’s own dark past is revealed. Thus, memory becomes a tool, through which the past is made relevant .
One of the main concerns of contemporary philosophy has been the role of the memory in the life of the individual and the group, or more precisely - the lack and excess of memory. Memory is something very unreliable, because it causes the same kind of decay that invades our physical bodies, undermining the identity of every individual and every society. Even though human identity is based on historical memory, neither individuals, nor societies should be limited in categorical way by it and the importance of forgetting should not be diminished. In consideration of memory, psychoanalysis and history as disciplines may be merged to provide one with a more expansive view of this phenomenon, without reducing one to the other. Reading Freud's account of melancholia in relation to Nietzsche's account of historical illness can help enhance the understanding one derives from each individual discourse, in addition to highlighting an important theme in contemporary philosophy.
Repressed memories is a topic that has been an ongoing dispute among some, however ac...
...These specifics recalled consist of things which, under normal conditions, we probably would not have ever remembered. The number of detailed facts retained about a particular situation is usually commensurate to the intensity of involvement or proximity to the action in question; therefore, it can be reasonably concluded that while these memories are not always perfectly engrained into our minds, interesting arguments exist which support the possibility of substantial and long-term recall of these matters.
Ferguson, M. (1994). A lot f memory an interview with Jamaica Kincaid. Kenyon Review, 163-188.
Lebow, Richard Ned. "The Future of Memory." American Academy of Political and Social 617 (2008): 25-41. JSTOR. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Man must not only remember his past, but also choose to remember it as it really happened—for, to again quote Eliot, “What might have been is an abstraction" (175). Fantasizing about an abstract, idealized past will never give success i...
The mammalian brain contains several different memory systems, which can be divided into declarative and non-declarative memory systems. Declarative memory can be further divided into episodic and semantic memory, and non-declarative memory can be divided into priming, associative learning, and procedural memory.
It has been stated that the application of memory functions in fictional works which act as a reflective device of human experience. (Lavenne, et al. 2005: 1). I intend to discuss the role of memory and recollection in Kazuo Ishiguro’s dystopian science-fiction novel Never Let Me Go (2005).
In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind stresses the importance of memory and how memories shape a person’s identity. Stories such as “In Search of Lost Time” by Proust and a report by the President’s Council on Bioethics called “Beyond Therapy” support the claims made in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it” is a famous quote by George Santayana. Although the r...