ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, memory studies has undergone a significant transformation which could, in a somewhat hackneyed way, be called a ‘cultural turn’. While in the twentieth century, the study of collective memory took shape and evolved mainly within the framework of sociology, in the twenty-first century the field has been increasingly dominated by cultural historians and theorists. As a result, the concept of ‘cultural memory’ has risen meteorically, overshadowing the formerly popular ‘social memory’ as well as ‘collective memory’ itself. The change is not only disciplinary and conceptual – but substantial. While the study of memory within the social framework emphasised social interaction and the role of mnemonic communities, the cultural approach focuses on the media that carry and shape memory. The concept of ‘cultural memory’ is more ambitious and broader than ‘social’ or even ‘collective memory’: it is largely synonymous with the concept of ‘culture’ itself, stressing its mnemonic function. 2
