Synopses & Reviews
Cultural memories are social constructions of the past which allow human beings both personally and collectively to orient themselves in time and space. The essays included in this book focus on the role of spatiality and places for cultural memories. Renowned scholars in anthropology, egyptology, geography, history, political science, and psychology offer new insights to the formation and development of cultural memories in ancient and modern societies. The first part of the book concentrates on theoretical considerations how cultural memories should be conceptualised. The second part consists of three case studies to apply these concepts to three very different contexts: the founding myth of a nation, contested memories in connection with a civil war, and oral traditions not referring to a national narrative. The third part focuses on the question of an emerging, distinct European cultural memory, its variances and especially the role of World War II for its origination. The forth part studies cultural memories in post-colonial contexts outside Europe. Finally, the fifth part offers insides on cultural memories in tribal, nomadic societies before or on the edge of Neolithic revolution.
Synopsis
Cultural memories are social constructions of the past which allow human beings both personally and collectively to orient themselves in time and space. This book focusses on the role of spatiality and places for cultural memories. It offers new insights to the formation and development of cultural memories in ancient and modern societies. The book concentrates on theoretical considerations how cultural memories should be conceptualised, includes three case studies to apply these concepts to three very different contexts, focuses on the question of an emerging, distinct European cultural memory, its variances and especially the role of World War II for its origination, studies cultural memories in post-colonial contexts outside Europe, and offers insides on cultural memories in tribal, nomadic societies before or on the edge of Neolithic revolution.
Synopsis
Focusing on the role of spatiality and places, this volume explores cultural memories -- social constructions of the past which allow human beings to orient themselves in time and space. Theoretical considerations are presented, as well as three case studies that illustrate the concepts discussed.
Synopsis
The revival of interest in collective cultural memories since the 1980s has been a genuinely global phenomenon. Cultural memories can be defined as the social constructions of the past that allow individuals and groups to orient themselves in time and space. The investigation of cultural memories has necessitated an interdisciplinary perspective, though geographical questions about the spaces, places, and landscapes of memory have acquired a special significance. The essays in this volume, written by leading anthropologists, geographers, historians, and psychologists, open a range of new interpretations of the formation and development of cultural memories from ancient times to the present day. The volume is divided into five interconnected sections. The first section outlines the theoretical considerations that have shaped recent debates about cultural memory. The second section provides detailed case studies of three key themes: the founding myths of the nation-state, the contestation of national collective memories during periods of civil war, and the oral traditions that move beyond national narrative. The third section examines the role of World War
Table of Contents
Part I: Theoretical considerations: Communicative and Cultural Memory: Jan Assmann, Memory and Space in the Work of Maurice Halbwachs: David Middleton, Steven D. Brown, Disparities between Knowledge and Collective Memories: Peter Meusburger, Part II: Case Studies, The Rütli in Switzerland: minor memory - major ambition: Georg Kreis, Sharing Space? Geography and Politics in Post-conflict Northern Ireland : Brian Graham, Memory--Recollection--Culture--Identity--Space: Social Context, Identity Formation, and Self-construction of the Calé (Gitanos) in Spain: Christina West, Part III: World War II in European Cultural Memories: Seven Circles of European Memory: Claus Leggewie, Halecki Revisited: Europe's Conflicting Cultures of Remembrance: Stefan Troebst, "Remembering for whom? Concepts for memorials in Western Europe": Rainer Eckert, Family Memories of World War