Memorials serve as powerful symbols that seek to encapsulate the experiences, sacrfices, and legacies of a particular conflict. By studying memorials we gain valuable insights into the historical social and cultural dimensions of conflicts, as well as how they contribute to the construction of national, regional, or community identities and shape the narratives and understandings of conflicts over time.
To discuss memorials and memorialization, we sat down with Marita Sturken, professor and author of the book "Terrorism in American Memory: Memorials, Museums, and Architecture in the Post-9/11 Era." We talked about the the role memorials play in the formation of collective memory and a shared national identity, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and naming. We also discussed issues of representation, inclusion, and accessibility in memorial art, with debates about figuration versus abstraction and the challenge of depicting diverse narratives and identities. Finally, we talked about the post 9/11 era as a period of increased memorial building and contentious debates over the removal or recontextualization of monuments.
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Marita Sturken
Marita Sturken is a renowned scholar and professor of Media, Culture & Communication at New York University, where she teaches on visual culture and the politics of cultural memory in American culture. In her most recent work, "Terrorism in American Memory: Memorials, Museums, and Architecture in the Post-9/11 Era" (2022), Sturken explores the role of memory in shaping the post-9/11 era. She delves into how the nationalistic project of 9/11 memory has evolved and examines the transformative memory activism exemplified by the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. To learn more about Marita Sturken and her work, visit her website.