SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This chapter seeks to outline key components of an analytical map for studying the politics of memory. It is guided by the view that memory matters because it plays a central role in the constitution of identity. More precisely, it maintains that the political character of memory derives from its ability to meaningfully represent a past experience or event that holds an important place in the constitution of collective identity of a social group. It develops this reading through an existentialist phenomenological lens that emphasises the temporality of being, while also recognising normative and emotional dimensions. Following the discussion of how memory links to identity, the chapter reviews the concept of collective memory and its link to experience. It then discusses content and form to highlight the relevance of narrative, silences and the future as important aspects of political memory. The final section goes over different expressions of power to guide a multifaceted understanding of the politics of memory.