Memory Studies Association wyraża dezaprobatę wobec procesu wytoczonego historykom Holokaustu
Memory Studies Association condemns lawsuit against Holocaust historians
The Memory Studies Association stands for free scholarly inquiry, wherever its results may lead. It is thus with grave concern that we have followed the libel lawsuit against Barbara Engelking and Jan Grabowski for their book, “Night without End: The Fate of Jews in Selected Counties of Occupied Poland” (in Polish, 2018). The lawsuit was backed by a state-supported foundation and accompanied by numerous attacks against Engelking and Grabowski in private and public media. On the 9th of February the court of first instance gave its ruling. It did not support the majority of the charges, yet it questioned the thoroughness of the scholarly work by passing judgment on the pertinence of its historical sources. The lawsuit may have an unfortunately chilling effect on other Holocaust research, to say nothing of the reputational and other damages to these prominent scholars whose work was brought into question beyond the realm of scholarly debate.
The Memory Studies Association has many Polish members, and this year our Polish colleagues are the lead organizers of our annual conference taking place in Warsaw. For all of the reasons delineated, we express our solidarity with Barbara Engelking and Jan Grabowski and the many other Polish scholars who have the courage and persistence to think, ask difficult questions, and search for answers, no matter how inconvenient they may be.
For the MSA Executive Committee
Jenny Wüstenberg, Jeffrey Olick, Aline Sierp (MSA Co-Presidents)
It is with shock and sadness that we have learnt of the passing of our friend and colleague Sabine Marschall, Professor in Cultural and Heritage Tourism at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Sabine was involved in the Memory Studies Association almost from its inception and co-organised the productive and vibrant meeting of the MSA’s Africa chapter in October 2019. Sabine was a highly accomplished scholar and editor of many publications revolving around memory, migration, and tourism in South Africa and beyond. Her most recent edited publication was Public Memory in the Context of Transnational Migration and Displacement Migrants and Monuments (Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies series, 2020).
We will miss Sabine’s insightful scholarly interventions, her work to connect memory studies globally, and her friendship.
Messages of condolence to Sabine’s partner Rob can be sent to info@memorystudiesassociation.org and will be relayed.
WHAT IS THE MSA?
The MSA is a professional association for Memory Studies scholars, as well as those who are active in museums, memorial institutions, archives, the arts and other fields engaged in remembrance. The objective is to become the most important forum for the memory field – both through an annual, international and interdisciplinary conference and through a strong online presence.
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MEMBERSHIP
Why should you become a paying member of the Memory Studies Association? There are several tangible benefits to membership already available as well as in the works. These include:
- discount on books
- access to members-only materials, including job listings, discussion forums, career advice, teaching resources, reading recommendations and more!
- eligibility to participate in over a dozen MSA Working Groups and MSA regional groups
- participation in the MSA mentorship program, career development events, and methodology workshops
We are very happy to announce that the MSA has reached formal agreement with SAGE and the editors of Memory Studies. Henceforth, the journal will be published in association with the MSA. This means:
- All members of the MSA will receive free access to the Journal through a protected link on the MSA website
- The first issue each year will be a special issue edited by the MSA
- From 2019 there will be an annual SAGE Journal of Memory Studies Outstanding Book Award, presented at the MSA Annual Meeting, for first books authored/co-authored by MSA members
- The Association will award a prize for the best paper presented at the MSA Annual Meetings, with the author’s option to have the paper published in Memory Studies
But, as enticing as these tangible benefits are, the real reason to become a paying member of the Association is that you want it to exist. Like any professional association, the MSA will depend on the support and devotion of its members.
INTERNSHIPS
This internship will provide you with the unique opportunity to see how an organisation such as the MSA works behind the scenes. You will support the presidents and the executive committee in the everyday running of the association. This includes the preparation of the next annual conference, research into and preparation of funding applications, the compilation of annotated bibliographies, communication with our members, contribution to the website and the social media channels of the association etc.
Given that this is a very young organization, you will have a lot of opportunities to contribute with your own ideas and will be able to work independently on various projects. This will allow you to a) get insights into the workings of a newly established non-profit association and to b) closely collaborate with scholars and practitioners in different countries.
If you are interested in applying, just send a letter of motivation and a CV to info@memorystudiesassociation.org.
