Collective Memory and Public Discourse School of Communication, SFU, Spring 2007 Professor: Jan Marontate Exhibition of Storefront Display covered with toxic dust from September 11, 2001, New York City. Source NYTimes, Aug. 25, 2006Source NYTimes See also article by Fried about another exhibition related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacksarticle by Fried

Second Short Report Presentations (continued)

Discussion of Term Assignment Handout 4 Handout 4 Handout Primary & secondary sources Primary & secondary sources Class Presentation Dates for Term Assignment (will be split in two groups) Class Presentation Dates for Term Assignment (will be split in two groups) Class Presentation Dates Class Presentation Dates

Today : Slight Change in Theme Memory in the context of Socio-political & cultural change Memory in the context of Socio-political & cultural change –Supression? –Celebration? –Persistance of memory? Film screening depicting changing sites of memory in everyday life & rapidly changing socities Film screening depicting changing sites of memory in everyday life & rapidly changing socities

Recall: What constitutes a “Site of Memory”? "where [cultural] memory crystallizes and secretes itself" (Nora 1989: 7) "where [cultural] memory crystallizes and secretes itself" (Nora 1989: 7)

places archives, archives, museums, museums, cathedrals, cathedrals, palaces, palaces, cemeteries, and cemeteries, and Memorials Memorials Memorials And non-places And non-places

concepts and practices commemorations, commemorations, mottos mottos rituals rituals food food Above: Sheep on top of car being transported to Dakar, Senegal for ritual slaughter for the festival of the sheep (Tabaski in Waloof) Left: Small cakes known as Madeleines, a specialty of The region of Commercy in France, mentioned in Marcel Proust’s In remembrance of Things Past. (literally à la recherche du temps perdu

objects inherited property inherited property –mementos –Ex. High school yearbook monuments monuments manuals, manuals, emblems, emblems, basic texts basic texts symbols. symbols.

Censorship & Iconoclasm Censurship Censurship Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio- cultural beliefs Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio- cultural beliefs – Ex. Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan completed March 12, 2002 Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan

Difference in meaning between vandalism & iconoclasm: vandals “ignorant”, purposeless acts of destruction

Silencing: Recall: Memories of Amish Schoolhouse Killings Recall: Memories of Amish Schoolhouse Killings –Site where children were killed children were killed children were killed –Destruction of Amish Schoolhouse Destruction of Amish SchoolhouseDestruction of Amish Schoolhouse Ex. Destruction of Monuments Ex. Destruction of Monuments

Changing visions of the past as a way to change the present (Connerton) Acts of repudiation, like the execution of leaders.: Acts of repudiation, like the execution of leaders.: –King of France during the French revolution (Connerton) –Saddam Hussein in December 2006 Preparations for the execution of Saddam Hussein

Life (Personal) histories and collective memory Rescuing the lived experience of marginalized or subordinate groups ? Rescuing the lived experience of marginalized or subordinate groups ? Problems in confronting personal histories with “objective” records (ex. Connerton, Zerubavel) Problems in confronting personal histories with “objective” records (ex. Connerton, Zerubavel)

Social Memory vs. Historical Reconstruction (Connerton) Historical reconstructions independent of social memory Historical reconstructions independent of social memory –Historians, evidence & authority Traces of the past (documents, artifacts, first hand observations) Traces of the past (documents, artifacts, first hand observations) Notions of “truth” Notions of “truth” –Historical writing and politics (ex. Basis for understanding the war between Israel & the Palestinians– differing collective memories of the past and its meaning for the present)

Historical reconstructions and the shape of shared memories of the past –depends on group membership Question of Belief & disbelief Question of Belief & disbelief Survival of witnesses? Survival of witnesses? –Context different points of view different points of view Different opportunities for deceit Different opportunities for deceit –Importance of types of documentation (primary, secondary) for understanding historical reconstructions

Memories as Habits Notion of “universal” or shared mental traditions or processes within populations or groups (ex. Eye-witnesses, survivors, holocaust deniers, etc.) Notion of “universal” or shared mental traditions or processes within populations or groups (ex. Eye-witnesses, survivors, holocaust deniers, etc.) Mnemoic communities and individuals Mnemoic communities and individuals –Exceptionalism, Conformity Conventions or norms or practices of “sameness” Conventions or norms or practices of “sameness” –rule-following behaviours like language systems or clothes or even bodily practices, postures….

Example: John Berger “Men in suits”

Viewing “men in suits” today What do we need to know about socio-historic context? (Who? What? Where? Why?) What do we need to know about socio-historic context? (Who? What? Where? Why?) –Sumptuary laws in 19 th -century Germany –Place of photography in society –Technical limits of photography –Conventions of posing for picture-taking sessions –Why was this collected?

What binds recent memories and distant ones? Groups provide frameworks to locate memories Groups provide frameworks to locate memories Different groups have different frameworks Different groups have different frameworks Collective memory about communication Collective memory about communication – in specific contexts between group members

Film Screening Video clips from Goodbye Lenin Video clips from Goodbye Lenin Suggestion for in-class exercise Suggestion for in-class exercise –Identify of types of “sites” of memory of old regime that were shown in film and give specific examples –What “sites” of memory were deliberately removed? –Which ones did the children feel were important for their mother?