States of Memory: Continuities, Conflicts, and Transformations in National Retrospection (Politics, History, and Culture)

__States of Memory__illuminates the construction of national memory from a comparative perspective. The essays collected here emphasize that memory itself has a history: not only do particular meanings change, but the very faculty of memory—its place in social relations and the forms it takes—varies over time. Integrating theories of memory and nationalism with case studies, these essays stake a vital middle ground between particular and universal approaches to social memory studies.The contributors—including historians and social scientists—describe societies’ struggles to produce and then use ideas of what a “normal” past should look like. They examine claims about the genuineness of revolution (in fascist Italy and communist Russia), of inclusiveness (in the United States and Australia), of innocence (in Germany), and of inevitability (in Israel). Essayists explore the reputation of Confucius among Maoist leaders during China’s Cultural Revolution; commemorations of Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States Congress; the “end” of the postwar era in Japan; and how national calendars—in signifying what to remember, celebrate, and mourn—structure national identification. Above all, these essays reveal that memory is never unitary, no matter how hard various powers strive to make it so.__States of Memory__will appeal to those scholars-in sociology, history, political science, cultural studies, anthropology, and art history-who are interested in collective memory, commemoration, nationalism, and state formation.Contributors. Paloma Aguilar, Frederick C. Corney, Carol Gluck, Matt K. Matsuda, Jeffrey K. Olick, Francesca Polletta, Uri Ram, Barry Schwartz, Lyn Spillman, Charles Tilly, Simonetta Falasca Zamponi, Eviatar Zerubavel, Tong Zhang States of Memory illuminates the construction of national memory from a comparative perspective. The essays collected here emphasize that memory itself has a history: not only do particular meanings change, but the very faculty of memory—its place in social relations and the forms it takes—varies over time. Integrating theories of memory and nationalism with case studies, these essays stake a vital middle ground between particular and universal approaches to social memory studies.The contributors—including historians and social scientists—describe societies’ struggles to produce and then use ideas of what a “normal” past should look like. They examine claims about the genuineness of revolution (in fascist Italy and communist Russia), of inclusiveness (in the United States and Australia), of innocence (in Germany), and of inevitability (in Israel). Essayists explore the reputation of Confucius among Maoist leaders during China’s Cultural Revolution; commemorations of Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States Congress; the “end” of the postwar era in Japan; and how national calendars—in signifying what to remember, celebrate, and mourn—structure national identification. Above all, these essays reveal that memory is never unitary, no matter how hard various powers strive to make it so. States of Memory will appeal to those scholars-in sociology, history, political science, cultural studies, anthropology, and art history-who are interested in collective memory, commemoration, nationalism, and state formation. Contributors. Paloma Aguilar, Frederick C. Corney, Carol Gluck, Matt K. Matsuda, Jeffrey K. Olick, Francesca Polletta, Uri Ram, Barry Schwartz, Lyn Spillman, Charles Tilly, Simonetta Falasca Zamponi, Eviatar Zerubavel, Tong Zhang States of Memory illuminates the construction of national memory from a comparative perspective. The essays collected here emphasize that memory itself has a not only do particular meanings change, but the very faculty of memoryits place in social relations and the forms it takesvaries over time. Integrating theories of memory and nationalism with case studies, these essays stake a vital middle ground between particular and universal approaches to social memory studies. The contributorsincluding historians and social scientistsdescribe societies struggles to produce and then use ideas of what a normal past should look like. They examine claims about the genuineness of revolution (in fascist Italy and communist Russia), of inclusiveness (in the United States and Australia), of innocence (in Germany), and of inevitability (in Israel). Essayists explore the reputation of Confucius among Maoist leaders during Chinas Cultural Revolution; commemorations of Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States Congress; the end of the postwar era in Japan; and how national calendarsin signifying what to remember, celebrate, and mournstructure national identification. Above all, these essays reveal that memory is never unitary, no matter how hard various powers strive to make it so. States of Memory will appeal to those scholars-in sociology, history, political science, cultural studies, anthropology, and art history-who are interested in collective memory, commemoration, nationalism, and state formation. Contributors. Paloma Aguilar, Frederick C. Corney, Carol Gluck, Matt K. Matsuda, Jeffrey K. Olick, Francesca Polletta, Uri Ram, Barry Schwartz, Lyn Spillman, Charles Tilly, Simonetta Falasca Zamponi, Eviatar Zerubavel, Tong Zhang Rethinking A Great Event : The October Revolution As Memory Project / Fred C. Corney -- Of Storytellers And Master Narratives : Modernity, Memory, And History In Fascist Italy / Simonetta Falasca Zamponi -- Idols Of The Emperor / Matt K. Matsuda -- Confucius And The Cultural Revolution : A Study In Collective Memory / Tong Zhang And Barry Schwartz -- Institutional Legacies And Collective Memories : The Case Of The Spanish Transition To Democracy / Paloma Aguilar -- When Do Collective Memories Last? : Founding Moments In The United States And Australia / Lyn Spillman -- Legacies And Liabilities Of An Insurgent Past : Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. On The House And Senate Floor / Francesca Polletta -- Postnationalist Pasts : The Case Of Israel / Uri Ram -- What Does It Mean To Normalize The Past? : Official Memory In German Politics Since 1989 / Jeffrey K. Olick -- The End Of The Postwar : Japan At The Turn Of The Millennium / Carol Gluck -- Calendars And History : A Comparative Study Of The Social Organization Of National Memory / Eviatar Zerubavel -- Afterword : Borges And Brass / Charles Tilly. Edited By Jeffrey K. Olick. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Illuminates the construction of national memory from a comparative, cross-case perspective. This book emphasizes that memory itself has a history: not only do particular meanings change, but the very faculty of memory - its place in social relations and the forms it takes-varies over time. These essays emphasize that memory itself has a history, in that not only do particular meanings change, but the very faculty of memory - its place in social relations & the forms it takes - varies over time A journal into book collection on national memory focusing on commemorations, collective apologies, and historical revisions, now enhanced by the addition of 6 essays by senior, historical sociologists