Collective Memory and Social Change

The last few years have marked the fiftieth anniversaries of iconic moments of social movement history, such as the 1968 protests around the world and the Stonewall riots in the United States. Commemorations have taken place throughout the world, and different aspects of the past have been appropriated and reconstructed by contemporary movements. These anniversaries have not only highlighted the continuing importance of these events for society and politics today, but have also shed light on their legacies in present-day movements. In the last few years, the scholarly interest in the intersection between social movements and memory has been growing considerably. This growth is linked to developments within both social movement studies and memory studies. On the one hand, memory studies have become interested increasingly in mnemonic agency, resilience and resistance. On the other hand, social movement scholars’ attention to memories grew against the background of the cultural turn and debates about movements’ temporality and continuity. This seminar will introduce students to the sociological study of memory in a broad sense, with a particular focus on its significance for research on collective action. Materials will draw on the vast field of memory studies, including mainly sociology and cultural studies, focusing on such issues as the conceptualisation of culture, past and heritage; the role of archives and media; mnemonic practices, commemoration and ritualisation; the relationship between memory and collective action. Throughout the course, research material collected by the instructor in his past projects on memory and collective action will be presented and discussed.