“As long as they remember me, I am alive”: Commemoration and memory through stickers

Abstract

This study explores the phenomenon of memorial stickers commemorating victims of the October 7, 2023, massacre and subsequent Israel-Hamas war. Analyzing 600 stickers collected across Israel, we examine how these artifacts shape personal and collective memory of these tragic events. Using content analysis, visual data analysis, and ethnography of texts, we investigate the stickers’ distribution, textual content, and visual elements. Three key findings emerged: (1) The widespread distribution of stickers expands commemoration beyond cemeteries, creating a larger community of remembrance; (2) Diverse textual content, from personal traits to universal messages, aims to keep the deceased’s values alive in social awareness; (3) Visual elements balance public recognition with private mourning through strategic use of photographs, colors, and barcodes. Drawing on theories of collective memory and continuing bonds, we argue that these stickers symbolically bring the deceased into daily life and public spaces, contributing to the processing of personal and national trauma.