The Performance of The Performance of Memory-- Memory--

Commemorative Commemorative Practices, Bodily Practices, Bodily Memory, Public Events Memory, Public Events and Public Memorialsand Public Memorials

Professor: Professor: Jan MarontateJan Marontate

Last Day: “Time Maps” & the Last Day: “Time Maps” & the Social Shaping of Memory Social Shaping of Memory DiscoursesDiscourses Questions of relevanceQuestions of relevance Long and short term Long and short term making connectionsmaking connections identifiying identifiying

discontinuitiesdiscontinuities– Marking « starts » and Marking « starts » and

« finishes »« finishes »

Celebration of Canadian citizenship

Origins, Collective Origins, Collective Memory & Priority Memory & Priority ClaimsClaims

Mnemonic “decapitation” Mnemonic “decapitation” (Zerubavel)(Zerubavel)

Mnemonic Communities & timeMnemonic Communities & time

Not just peopleNot just people Can be Can be

practices, things practices, things (like media), (like media), eventsevents

Example of Example of divergence divergence modelmodel

Shaping, Association,assimilationShaping, Association,assimilation

Periods, epochs as mnemonic transformation of historical continuumPeriods, epochs as mnemonic transformation of historical continuum Separate groupings over same time (and sometimes same places)Separate groupings over same time (and sometimes same places)

TodayToday

1.1. Film screening– part of Spike Lee’s Film screening– part of Spike Lee’s When the When the levees brokelevees broke

2.2. Discussion of ideas for projectsDiscussion of ideas for projects

3.3. Short lecture ---Guest Speaker (cancelled) Short lecture ---Guest Speaker (cancelled) was Kelly Stewart, curator of a new exhibition was Kelly Stewart, curator of a new exhibition at the New Westminster Museum and Archives at the New Westminster Museum and Archives on historic Chinese-Canadian communitieson historic Chinese-Canadian communities

Image of railway workersImage of railway workers

Finding Topics & Conducting Finding Topics & Conducting Research for Short ReportsResearch for Short Reports Seek other information on the subject represented.Seek other information on the subject represented.

– ““facts”, opinions facts”, opinions Critically analyze the “fit” between the depiction and Critically analyze the “fit” between the depiction and

documentation about the subject represented. documentation about the subject represented. – What does the depiction include and what is left out?What does the depiction include and what is left out?– Connections between current/past? Connections between current/past? – What factors may have influenced the representation? What factors may have influenced the representation?

Be sure to discuss both the object of remembrance Be sure to discuss both the object of remembrance and the depiction of it in context.and the depiction of it in context.

““Site of Memory”Site of Memory” & S & Social ocial Frameworks of MemoryFrameworks of Memory?? "where [cultural] "where [cultural]

memory crystallizes memory crystallizes and secretes itself" and secretes itself" (Nora 1989: 7)(Nora 1989: 7)– PlacesPlaces– Concepts & practicesConcepts & practices– ObjectsObjects

Doorway of No Return. Gorée Island. Sénégal. House of Slaves

placesplaces

archives, archives, museums, museums, cathedrals, cathedrals, palaces, palaces, cemeteries, and cemeteries, and memorialsmemorials; ;

concepts and practicesconcepts and practices

commemorations, commemorations, generations, generations, MottosMottos rituals; rituals;

objectsobjects

inherited propertyinherited property– mementos mementos

monuments monuments manuals,manuals, emblems,emblems, basic textsbasic texts symbols.symbols.

Recall: Non-places, Silencing: Recall: Non-places, Silencing:

Memories of Amish Memories of Amish Schoolhouse KillingsSchoolhouse Killings– Site where Site where childrenchildren werewere

killedkilled– Destruction Destruction ofof AmishAmish

SchoolhouseSchoolhouse Handouts: critics Handouts: critics

review new exhibitionsreview new exhibitions– «  Vancouver «  Vancouver

Flashback » (Street Flashback » (Street scenes from the recent scenes from the recent past—)past—)

How does the past shape the How does the past shape the present & future?present & future?

Schudson “Lives, Laws & Language. Commemorative Schudson “Lives, Laws & Language. Commemorative vs. non-commemorative forms of effective public vs. non-commemorative forms of effective public memory”memory”

Personally (Personally (lives, lived experience, oral lives, lived experience, oral historyhistory))

Socially (Socially (laws, institutions, codes of ethics laws, institutions, codes of ethics etc.etc.))

Culturally (Culturally (language, symbolic systemslanguage, symbolic systems))

The “person” as a carrier of The “person” as a carrier of public memorypublic memory

1. Manifestations: personal 1. Manifestations: personal “careers” and life histories “careers” and life histories as devices for accessing & as devices for accessing & tracking changestracking changes

Processes: Processes: – Prompting as contextPrompting as context– Disappearance of older Disappearance of older

generationsgenerations– familiarity of new generations familiarity of new generations

with new “paradigms” rather with new “paradigms” rather than “conversion”than “conversion”

– CommitmentsCommitments to old to old paradigms vs. paradigms vs. revisionismrevisionism

Lessons “Learned” & Observing Lessons “Learned” & Observing change in Collective memorychange in Collective memory

personal experience as guide (avoidance)personal experience as guide (avoidance) Example: Change in “language” has potential to alter Example: Change in “language” has potential to alter

meaningmeaning Observation of shifts in collective representations Observation of shifts in collective representations

through changes in languagethrough changes in language Importance of temporal, spatial, group affiliations of Importance of temporal, spatial, group affiliations of

individual testimonies as individual testimonies as contextscontexts

““Dynamics” of Collective Dynamics” of Collective memory (Schudson)memory (Schudson) Pre-emptive Metaphors & DevicesPre-emptive Metaphors & Devices (avoidance technique), ex. (avoidance technique), ex.

Trauma designations like holocaust, genocideTrauma designations like holocaust, genocide Demonstration effectsDemonstration effects (interaction of personal experience & (interaction of personal experience &

experience of others)experience of others)– Ex. Nazis & anti-racismEx. Nazis & anti-racism

AccidentsAccidents as models for as models for risk avoidance (ex. tsunami victims)risk avoidance (ex. tsunami victims) Coordinative, conjunctive & serial effects–Coordinative, conjunctive & serial effects– (ex. the right to (ex. the right to

vote & working class white men in different places)vote & working class white men in different places) Cultures of memory (diverse)Cultures of memory (diverse) (ex. Different uses of collective (ex. Different uses of collective

identity in different national contexts, ex. Post WWII fascist identity in different national contexts, ex. Post WWII fascist countries, attitudes towards elders as carriers of public countries, attitudes towards elders as carriers of public memory, etc….)memory, etc….)

“ “ Cultures” of collective Cultures” of collective memory (Olick)memory (Olick)

Different ontological orders, different Different ontological orders, different epistemological & methodological implicationsepistemological & methodological implications

Collective memory asCollective memory as– Aggregated individual recollections?Aggregated individual recollections?– Official commemorations (or silencing)?Official commemorations (or silencing)?– Constitutive features of shared identity?Constitutive features of shared identity?

““Collected” MemoryCollected” Memory

based on individualistic principles (aggregated based on individualistic principles (aggregated individual memories of members of a croup)individual memories of members of a croup)

Assume: only individuals remembersAssume: only individuals remembers Different rememberers may be valued differentlyDifferent rememberers may be valued differently Publicly available symbols Publicly available symbols Methods: assign same values to all rememberers Methods: assign same values to all rememberers

OR redistributively (ex. To include previously OR redistributively (ex. To include previously disenfranchised) disenfranchised)

Advantages of Individualist Advantages of Individualist approaches (“Collected” Memory)approaches (“Collected” Memory)

Potential to reduce political bias embedded in Potential to reduce political bias embedded in existing representations of collective memory existing representations of collective memory by recognizing many different kinds of by recognizing many different kinds of collective memory in different places in collective memory in different places in societysociety

Posture of Neutrality?Posture of Neutrality?

Should we Should we – assume a collective memory assume a collective memory

or identity exists?or identity exists?– assume a collectivity exists assume a collectivity exists

that shares a memory?that shares a memory?– Consider ideology, will? Consider ideology, will? – ex. Survey of Germans about ex. Survey of Germans about

their identity & effects on their identity & effects on politicspolitics

– Ex. Ex. I am Canadian beer commerciI am Canadian beer commercialal

A screen capture of Joe Canadian from an I am Canadian commercial, with the maple leaf of the Canadian flag projected on the background

Collective Memory (vs. Collective Memory (vs. collected)collected) Patterns of socialization Patterns of socialization not reducible to individualnot reducible to individual

psycho-social processes? psycho-social processes? groups provide conditions and distinctionsgroups provide conditions and distinctions through through

which particular events are defined as which particular events are defined as consequential consequential Symbols, institutions, technologies etc. considered Symbols, institutions, technologies etc. considered

somewhat “autonomous” somewhat “autonomous” Memory Memory performedperformed through language, narrative, through language, narrative,

dialogue, genres, …dialogue, genres, …shared practicesshared practices Collective memory AS communicationCollective memory AS communication

Social Museum of Harvard Social Museum of Harvard Exhibition Review and Cultural Exhibition Review and Cultural Heritage Institutions as ContextsHeritage Institutions as Contexts

Workers in Pittsburgh, photographed by Lewis Hine, on view in “Classified Documents,” at Harvard.

Importance of Importance of contextualizing contextualizing imagesimages

Handout Handout « Categorized, « Categorized, Compared & Compared & Displayed: Displayed: Social Ills as Social Ills as Museum Museum SpecimensSpecimens