Guest editors: Javier Burdman (National University of San Martin in Argentina); Aline Sierp (Maastricht University); Peter J. Verovšek (University of Groningen)

Description:

In recent decades, there has been growing awareness that the way in which societies remember past events and produce their own history is  influenced by political dynamics. Public manifestations and debates around the longstanding legacy of colonialism, slavery and racism show that it is important that educational and cultural institutions narrate history in a way that is sensitive to groups that have experienced exclusion. However, given that existing power asymmetries play a role in shaping our understanding of the past, considering excluded perspectives in history is not only a scholarly, but also a political challenge. Just like activists and policymakers have grown increasingly concerned with the role of history and memory in attaining social and racial justice, scholars acknowledge that their interpretations of history both condition and are conditioned by political structures and events. In this context, it is important to critically interrogate the frameworks through which different people and institutions produce history and memory.

This special issue develops a critical interrogation of different approaches to history and memory by bringing together perspectives from different scholars working on this area from different countries and disciplines. The articles examine specific theoretical frameworks, either at the conceptual level or related to a case, on history and memory, and assess their importance for contemporary discussions around the issue. The goal is to generate theoretical resources that inform discussions around the production and teaching of historical narratives, the construction of sites of memory, the role of history and memory in political conflicts, and the need to consider excluded perspectives when thinking about the past. Some of the questions that the articles consider are: How can we write history in a transnational context? What is the role of affects in remembering the past? How can we consider excluded perspectives in the development of historical narratives? How do institutions shape memory? What kinds of norms are involved in different kinds of historical narratives?

They welcome proposals that inquire into theoretical frameworks that address some of these questions, either at a conceptual level or connecting theory to a specific case. The interest is in articles focusing on theoretical perspectives derived from cases from regions beyond Europe and the United States, such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Submissions: Please send a proposal for the max. 500 words by September 30, 2024, to Peter Verovšek at: p.j.verovsek@rug.nl