Shadows of War : A Social History of Silence in the Twentieth Century

Silence lies between forgetting and remembering. This book explores how different societies have constructed silences to enable men and women to survive and make sense of the catastrophic consequences of armed conflict. Using a range of disciplinary approaches, it examines the silences that have followed violence in twentieth-century Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. These essays show that silence is a powerful language of remembrance and commemoration and a cultural practice with its own rules. This broad-ranging book discloses the universality of silence in the ways we think about war through examples ranging from the Spanish Civil War and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the Armenian Genocide and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Bringing together scholarship on varied practices in different cultures, this book breaks new ground in the vast literature on memory, and opens up new avenues of reflection and research on the lingering aftermath of war. Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Notes on contributors 9 Preface and acknowledgments 11 Part I Framing the problem: Multi-disciplinary approaches 13 1 Thinking about silence 15 Below the surface 15 Silences: liturgical, political, essentialist 15 The advantages of silence 20 Silence and war 22 Why now? 24 Silence as a cultural practice 25 Speech: free and unfree 25 Poetic licence 26 Amnesty 29 Transitional silences 31 Commemorative silences 32 Silent topoi: erasure and recovery 33 Political contestation 34 Conclusion 40 2 The social sound of silence: Toward a sociology of denial 44 Part II Europe 57 3 Breaking the silence? Memory and oblivion since the Spanish Civil War 59 4 In the ashes of disgrace: Guilt versus shame revisited 80 I. Guilt and transfiguration 84 “The Question of German Guilt” 85 II. The recalcitrance of shame 89 Heidegger, humanism, and responsibility 93 Carl Schmitt’s “silence” 96 III. Jaspers, guilt, and national identity 100 Conclusion 101 5 On silence, madness, and lassitude: Negotiating the past in post-war West Germany 103 I. The war in their mind: Fragments of personal memory 107 II. Knowledge and acknowledgement: Psychiatric readings of personal suffering 114 III. Negotiating victimhood: German soldiers, the Holocaust, and the media 121 IV. Conclusion 123 Part III Africa 125 6 Silences on state violence during the Algerian War of Independence: France and Algeria, 1962–2007 127 Torture 130 October 1961 138 Conclusion 147 7 African silences: Negotiating the story of France’s colonial soldiers, 1914–2009 150 African colonial soldiers in the service of France 152 African silences in France 153 Silences within official commemoration in Senegal 159 Shifting boundaries of silence: Commemorating the uprising at Thiaroye 161 Conclusions 164 8 Now that all is said and done: Reflections on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa 165 The witness: speaking out 165 The witness: spoken to 168 Not by way of illustration 171 Over the body of the woman 174 Traffic in bodies 176 This place being South Africa 179 Part IV The Middle East 183 9 Facing history: Denial and the Turkish national security concept 185 10 Imposed silences and self-censorship: Palmach soldiers remember 1948 193 Three methodological notes – the subjects, the time, the author 195 1. Silence and emotional restraint 197 2. Sanitising Language 199 3. Death and denial 200 4. Killing 203 5. Secrets 205 Conclusion 208 11 Forgetting the Lebanon war? On silence, denial, and the selective remembrance of the “First” Lebanon war 209 The outbreak of the war 213 Morality of war/ morality in war 216 From protest to silence and denial 219 Selective remembrance and the rehabilitation of Ariel Sharon 222 Conclusions 225 Postscript 227 Index 229 0521196582,9780521196581 Cambridge University Press Silence Lies Between Forgetting And Remembering. This Book Explores The Ways In Which Different Societies Have Constructed Silences To Enable Men And Women To Survive And Make Sense Of The Catastrophic Consequences Of Armed Conflict. Using A Range Of Disciplinary Approaches, It Examines The Silences That Have Followed Violence In Twentieth-century Europe, The Middle East And Africa. These Essays Show That Silence Is A Powerful Language Of Remembrance And Commemoration And A Cultural Practice With Its Own Rules. This Broad-ranging Book Discloses The Universality Of Silence In The Ways We Think About War Through Examples Ranging From The Spanish Civil War And The Israeli-palestinian Conflict To The Armenian Genocide And South Africa's Truth And Reconciliation Commission. Bringing Together Scholarship On Varied Practices In Different Cultures, This Book Breaks New Ground In The Vast Literature On Memory, And Opens Up New Avenues Of Reflection And Research On The Lingering Aftermath Of War.--jacket. Framing The Problem : Multi-disciplinary Approaches. Thinking About Silence / Jay Winter ; The Social Sound Of Silence : Toward A Sociology Of Denial / Eviatar Zerubavel -- Europe. Breaking The Silence? : Memory And Oblivion Since The Spanish Civil War / Mary Vincent ; In The Ashes Of Disgrace : Guilt Versus Shame Revisited / Jeffrey K. Olick ; On Silence, Madness, And Lassitude : Negotiating The Past In Post-war West Germany / Svenja Goltermann -- Africa. Silences On State Violence During The Algerian War Of Independence : France And Algeria, 1962-2007 / Raphaëlle Branche And Jim House ; African Silences : Negotiating The Story Of France's Colonial Soldiers, 1914-2009 / Ruth Ginio ; Now That All Is Said And Done : Reflections On The Truth And Reconciliation Commission In South Africa / Louise Bethlehem -- The Middle East. Facing History : Denial And The Turkish National Security Concept / Taner Akc̦am ; Imposed Silences And Self-censorship : Palmach Soldiers Remember 1948 / Efrat Ben-ze'ev ; Forgetting The Lebanon War? : On Silence, Denial, And The Selective Remembrance Of The First Lebanon War / Asher Kaufman. Edited By Efrat Ben-ze'ev, Ruth Ginio And Jay Winter. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Silence lies between forgetting and remembering. This book explores the ways in which different societies have constructed silences to enable men and women to survive and make sense of the catastrophic consequences of armed conflict. Using a range of disciplinary approaches, it examines the silences that have followed violence in twentieth-century Europe, the Middle East and Africa. These essays show that silence is a powerful language of remembrance and commemoration and a cultural practice with its own rules." "This broad-ranging book discloses the universality of silence in the ways we think about war through examples ranging from the Spanish Civil War and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the Armenian Genocide and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Bringing together scholarship on varied practices in different cultures, this book breaks new ground in the vast literature on memory, and opens up new avenues of reflection and research on the lingering aftermath of war."-- Jaquette