Collective Memory and Political Identity in Northern Ireland: Recollections of the Future (Memory Politics and Transitional Justice)

This book covers the notion of collective memory – broadly defined as the ways in which differing pasts are created, understood and reproduced – and how this is perpetuated in Northern Ireland by a wide set of social actors, including nations, religious and political groupings, and local communities. Such collective memories are not a preservative for historically accurate recall of bygone events but rather readings of the past subject to contemporary interpretations and political pressure. The adoption of political symbolism remains central to subsequent events. Indeed, in Northern Ireland, both communities hold their conflicting ‘memories’ dear and, importantly, rival political organizations have invested much in their own reading of the causes of the outbreak and continuation of the conflict. Set alongside constant exposure to other forms of discourse, texts, songs, prose and more visible physical manifestations – such as murals, commemorative gardens, personal tattoos, and even gravestones – there are a multitude of ways of reminding people of particular memories, community histories and interpretations of events, and of providing the background within which attitudes are formed. Preface Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations 1 Introduction Collective Remembering and the Power of Commemoration Framing the Past in (Northern) Ireland Conclusions References 2 Engaging the Present Through the Past Collective Memory and the Fall of a State The Pliable Nature of Remembering and Forgetting Legacy, Narratives and Collective Memory Relevance to Northern Ireland Hosting Recall and Memory Making Sense of the Social and Political World Remembering and the Burden of the Past Conclusions References 3 Identity, Commemoration, Remembering and Forgetting Collective Memory and Historical Approaches Narratives of Belonging Stereotyping Memory (Re)Presenting the Past Commemoration and Memorialisation Using Memory Collective Memory and Social Identity Memory Gaps and Constructed Amnesia Using Collective Memory Collective Memory in the Public Arena Conclusions References 4 The Active Use of Narratives in Collective Memory (Auto)Biography and Individual Recall Memories of the Present Memories of the Future The Social Context of Recall Engaging Past Ghosts Memory and Meaning Using Collective Memory Problematic Collective Memory Symbolism and Commemoration Making Sense of the Commemorative Past Commemorative Discourses and Narratives Living and Lived Memory Framing and Transmitting Collective Memory The Struggle for Memory Dominance (Re)Imagining the Past Conclusions References 5 Imagined Communities and Community Imaginations The Boundaries of Community Mobilising Memory Through Community Mobilising Community Through Memory Memory and the Symbolic Community Narrative Communities Communities of Memory Community and the Collective Past Conflict Communities Collective Memory as a Connector Framing and Bonding Communities Conclusions References 6 Localised Narratives and the Construction of Community Myths Identity Narratives of Loyalism and Republicanism Aspirational Memories Recalling and Retelling the Past Using Myth and Memory: The Cú Chulainn Saga Cú Chulainn in Republican Narratives Cú Chulainn in Loyalist Narratives Collective Memory and the Cú Chulainn Myth Localised Narratives and Memories Competing Narratives and Understandings Republican Memories and Narratives Loyalist Memorial The Contest for Memories Feeding Macro Narratives Republican Collective Memory Regrouping Republican Memories Orange Narratives and Collective Memory Conclusions References 7 Popular Cultures, Memory Performance and Using Memory Performing Memory Inscribed Memory Public Involvement in Memory Popular Memory: Murals and the Past Inscribing Popular Memory Through Performance Commemoration Practices and Places Identity Transmission Through Popular Culture The Past in Song and Story Formal Education and Collective Memory Conclusions References 8 Transnational Memories and Generational Change Globalising Memory Emigration and Expanding Memory Ownership of Memories Beyond Ireland Loyalism and Identity Abroad Ireland’s Heritage and the Past Using Memories Beyond Ireland Controversial and Divided Memory Remembering the Black and Tans Recalling and Making Memories Through Museums Agnostic and Official Museums Committed Museums Living Museums Women Commemoration and Memory Public Remembrance Conclusions References 9 Legacy, Victimhood and the Possibility of Change Who Are the Victims? The Morals of Remembering Memory, Victimhood and Entitlement Legacy of Conflict Memory Ownership of Memories Dealing With the Past Drawing a Line Under the Past? How Do Generations Remember? Reformulating Generational Memory What Do Generations Remember? Post-Conflict Communities and Memory Questioning Narratives Conclusions References 10 Collective Memory, Narrative, Politics and Identity in Northern Ireland: Some Conclusions The Roles of Collective Memory and Narrative The Legacy of Cultural Memory Cultural Memory Wars Everyday Collective Memories Recalling the Future in Northern Ireland References Bibliography Index This book covers the notion of collective memory, understood broadly as how differing pasts are created, understood and reproduced, and how this is perpetuated in Northern Ireland by a wide set of social actors, including, nations, religious and political groupings, down to local communities. Such collective memories are, of course, not a preservative for historically accurate recall of bygone events, but rather they are readings of the past subject to contemporary interpretations and political pressures and the political symbolism adopted remains central to subsequent events. Indeed, it is clear that in Northern Ireland, both communities hold their conflicting memories dear and importantly, that rival political organizations have invested much in their own reading of the causes for the outbreak and continuation of the conflict. Set alongside constant exposure to other forms of discourse, texts, songs, prose, as well as more visible physical manifestations, such as murals or commemorative gardens, personal tattoos, or even gravestones, there are a multitude of ways of reminding people of particular memories, community histories and interpretations of events and providing the background within which attitudes are formed.