Abstract

VILLA GOMEZ, Juan David  and  BARRERA MACHADO, Daniela. The memory identity record: politics of memory and national identity. Rev. colomb. soc. [online]. 2017, vol.40, suppl.1, pp.149-172. ISSN 0120-159X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rcs.v40n1Supl.65911.

The article presents a literature review of one of the most significant research lines regarding collective memory: the memory identity record. More specifically, it reviews research on politics of memory in relation to the construction of national identities. To that effect, the article examines a series of research projects describing the relations between memory and identity and studying national identity on the basis of the political constructions of collective memory. This type of research tends to focus on countries that have experienced internal armed conflicts, dictatorships, international wars, or other types of identity conflicts. Some of these national scenarios are: Israel; Russia; the former republics of the USSR; the former Iron Curtain countries in Eastern Europe; France, Germany, and Italy - the protagonists of World War II-; Spain; and the Southern Cone countries in Latin America. Although nationally-oriented identity discourses have been scarce in Colombia, memory has been used as a way to build identities contrary to the political solution to the armed conflict, some of which adopt a victim mentality and attempt to maintain and legitimize the status quo and certain forms of political domination established since Independence. On the basis of these experiences, the article sets forth a series of conclusions and proposals regarding the political and ideological nature of memory and the need to move toward other uses of memory that allow for social transformations, enhanced democracy, and peacebuilding.

Keywords : conflict; national identity; collective memory; politics of memory.

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