Collective Memory Of Conflict Research Articles

Perspectives on memory, forgiveness and reconciliation in Cambodia's post-Khmer Rouge society

AbstractTransitional justice is a conspicuous feature of responses to mass atrocities. Rooted in accountability and redress for victims, transitional justice mechanisms influence and are influenced by collective memory of conflicts. This article looks at the dynamics between memory, trauma and forgiveness in Cambodia. Thirty years after the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodians expressed limited knowledge of the past, a strong desire for the truth, and lingering feelings of hatred. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) created or renewed demand for truth, along with some desire for harm to come to the wrongdoers. Although the ECCC was set up several decades after the mass atrocities, the data suggest that the ECCC and the civil society movement associated with it may have had positive outcomes on addressing the legacy of the violence.

Collective memory of conflict is not all about politics—The Israeli case: Empirical, theoretical, and practical aspects

The most important theme in conflict memory studies has been the “politics of memory.” This article, however, argues that memory is also significantly influenced by many apolitical factors, which are typically underresearched. Based on numerous documents and interviews, the article examines the Israeli official, autobiographical, cultural, and historical memories, from 1949 to 2004, of the 1948 Palestinian exodus. Empirically and theoretically, the article offers various contributions, such as the first typology of the three manifestations of the political and apolitical uses of memory, and traces 13 apolitical factors. All these findings are translated into practical implications for the use of peacemakers and others.

Israeli War Veteranss Memory of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Background: One of the primary sources to influence the collective memory of conflicts is the autobiographical memory. This memory is also one of the primary sources for research of the past. Thus, Autobiographical memory is of importance. Purpose: This article explores, for the first time over a long period of time, the autobiographical memory of Israeli veterans of the 1948 War, pertaining to the 1948 Palestinian exodus that led to the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem. Does this memory include the Zionist narrative (i.e., willing flight of the Palestinian refugees), or a critical narrative (i.e., willing flight and expulsion)? Methodologically: This is done through analysis of all 1948 veterans' memoirs published between 1949 and 2004. Interviews were also conducted with various veterans, in order to understand the dynamics of their memoir publication. Empirical findings: during the first period (1949-1968) this memory was exclusively Zionist, during the second (1969-1978) it became slightly critical, and during the third (1979-2004) – the critical tendency became more prevalent. Onwards, the nine empirical micro causes for the presentation of exodus the way it was presented are discussed. Theoretical findings: The findings relate, inter alia, to the importance of micro factors in shaping the autobiographical memory, assembles seven such theoretical factors, suggests that these factors can influence in two ways (promoting collective memory change or inhibiting it), and that their impact can change over time. Value: Taken together, the article contributes empirical and theoretical findings that are based on a wide scope research.

Full Book: The Israeli and Palestinian Collective Memory of Conflict – Survey Findings, Analysis, Comparison and Collaboration

This book deals with an enigmatic phenomenon: collective memory (CM), namely: the way a society views its past events. CM in general – and more so CM of conflicts and of political violence in particular – has gained major attention in the recent period in the academic, political and social spheres worldwide. Most of the chapters of the book were already published in English in major academic journals (and two books), except for the current chapter, chapter 12 (Summary and Conclusion) and chapter 2 (survey findings about the Israeli popular memory of the conflict) that was published – though partially differently - just in Hebrew. That said, the contribution of the book is that it assembles all these closely related publications in one book, therefore allowing the reader of the book to get an integrated wide and deep picture of the Israeli CM of the conflict, while understanding its connections to the Palestinian CM of the conflict. Additional contribution is the translation into English of the pioneering chapter 2 (survey findings). The aim of the book was to allow the readers to be exposed to these contributions and materials. Whose CM is addressed? Aside from the current chapter (no. 1), most of the book deals with the Israeli CM of the conflict, while chapter 9 addresses the Palestinian CM of the conflict, chapter 10 compares the CMs of both parties (Israel and the Palestinians), and chapter 11 describes conflict narratives’ collaborations that took place between the two parties. Topics addressed. Some of the chapters address the main historical event of the conflict, one with major political, psychological and social importance (the 1948 Palestinian exodus), while other address other topics in that conflict and that memory in large. Book structure. Following the current Introduction chapter, the Israeli component of the book is addressed in parts 2 and 3 of the book (chapters 2-8). Chapter 2 (in part 2) deals with the results of the first representative survey research that mapped the Israeli popular memory, addressing 23 major events/topics of the conflict. Actually, as far that is known, a similar wide research has never been done also regarding other conflicts worldwide. This survey allowed not only to map the memory regarding these topics, but also to examine the correlations of this memory with many socio-psychological characteristics of the interviewees (e.g., negative emotions towards the Arabs/Palestinians, the wish to sign peace agreements, various values and age). Part 3 of the book (chapters 3-8) still addresses the Israeli CM, but looking more into the dynamics of that memory: what influences the CM and how and why it stays fixated in holding certain narratives or transforms to hold different narratives. For example, chapter 3 addresses the relation of the CM to the conflict, chapter 4 – the characteristics of the historical narratives that are the content of the CM and the struggle for their dominance in a country, chapter 5 – major events that the narratives typically address, chapter 6 – the impact of the passing of time on the CM, chapter 7 – internal and external CM, and chapter 8 - The role of direct-experience people (war veterans) in promoting transitional justice via historical narratives. Part 4 of the book addresses the Palestinian component of the book via chapter 9 that deals with the Palestinian CM of the 1948 Palestinian exodus. This chapter also has implications to oral history – a major source about the past – due to the surprising findings of the chapter. Onward, part 5 for the book deals with both CMs, the Israeli and the Palestinian ones. Chapter 10 in this part describes the memories of both parties and compares them, while chapter 11 describes nine projects in which Israelis and Palestinian have collaborated in trying the bridge the gap between the narratives that each party adopts in his CM of the conflict. Finally, part 6 summarizes in chapter 12 the preceding discussion and concludes.

Major events and the collective memory of conflicts

PurposeCollective memory of conflicts is assembled around major events, such as, in the context of the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict, the 1948 Palestinian exodus from the central cities of Lydda and Ramla. To date, however, various theoretical aspects of major events of conflicts have not been considered in the literature. This article aims to address this lack by exploring for the first time the way in which the causes for that exodus were presented in Israel from 1949 to 2005.Design/methodology/approachMethodologically, this is based on studies that have analyzed separately the publications by various Israeli state establishments (e.g. National Information Center, Ministry of Education, the National Archive, and the army – IDF), and those by various Israeli‐Jewish societal establishments (e.g. the research community, newspapers and 1948 war veterans).FindingsTheoretically, the article contributes various insights, pertaining, for example, to: the five Manifestation Characteristics and the two Influence Characteristics of major events of conflicts; the eight determinant factors that shape the impact of these events; and the dynamic nature of the representation of major events.Originality/valueTaken altogether, this article contributes to the empirical and theoretical research on the major events in conflicts.

The Passing of Time and the Collective Memory of Conflicts: The Case of Israel and the 1948 Palestinian Exodus

Collective memory is a general category that includes various kinds of memories such as popular, official, autobiographical, cultural, and historical (that produced by scholars). The impact of the passing of time on the collective memory of conflicts, despite its importance, is narrowly addressed in the literature. This article addresses that lack. Empirically, the article is based primarily on a study that examined Israeli collective memory from 1949 to 2004 regarding the causes for the 1948 Palestinian exodus. Methodologically, it is based mostly on content analysis of publications of seven main Israeli–Jewish institutions: the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the National Information Center, the Ministry of Education, newspapers, the research community, non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) and 1948 war veterans’ memoirs, as well as interviews with key people in these institutions. Theoretically, the article offers various contributions, such as: it proposes that time is a meta‐factor which includes fifteen factors influencing collective memory and describes which kind of memory is influenced by each factor and in what way (with focus on the historical memory). The article also discusses the intra‐generational process that occurs within the direct‐experience generation, differentiates between different modes of influence of the factors (for example, direct and indirect), and proposes that time is an apolitical meta‐factor.

Collective memory as the key to national and ethnic identity: The case of Cambodia

Members of national and ethnic groups share a common identity, and one might ask why this would be the case. While both scholars and non‐scholars might point to ancestry and culture as causal factors, this article argues that collective memory is the key. Both recent events and the distant past can play an important role. Cambodia represents a good example, since people there have a collective memory of conflict with Vietnam, and see their historical experience as continuing into the present.