Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CULTRAMACY (Normalizing a Difficult Past? Cultural trauma and collective memory in Austria and Croatia)
Período documentado: 2019-04-01 hasta 2021-03-31
The project dealt with the impact of trauma on the collective memory of wars in Austria and Croatia. In particular two corresponding forces are explained: cultural trauma - representing a response to the alteration of collective identity, and collective memory - acting as a cohesive element for group identity.
The current societal challenges, with migration/traveling of memory across borders and generations, can be researched with a similar methodology. This project has identified major gaps and divergences in historical discourses which make burdensome heritage often difficult to overcome and explored how dealing with negative heritage acts as a unifying force among (young) Europeans.
Three main objectives were explored in the framework of the study: 1) repercussions of trauma on collective and individual, as well as cultural and public memories, 2) traveling of memory through time and space - generational and transcultural transmission of memory, 3) analysis of patterns of European memory.
The current societal challenges, with migration/traveling of memory across borders and generations, can be researched with a similar methodology. This project has identified major gaps and divergences in historical discourses which make burdensome heritage often difficult to overcome and explored how dealing with negative heritage acts as a unifying force among (young) Europeans.
Three main objectives were explored in the framework of the study: 1) repercussions of trauma on collective and individual, as well as cultural and public memories, 2) traveling of memory through time and space - generational and transcultural transmission of memory, 3) analysis of patterns of European memory.
This project first analyzed print and video media outlets in order to grasp the official politics of memory and representation of selected commemorative practices.
Moreover, it researched the attitudes of Austrian and Croatian youth and history teachers on a wide range of topics like history education, but also political participation.
The summary of previous work set the basis for the analysis of elements/patterns of transcultural memory on the wider, European level.
The finding of the research project contained (so far) one special issue, five peer-reviewed journal articles, and three peer-reviewed book chapters. The project is being presented both at the academic and non-academic level
Moreover, it researched the attitudes of Austrian and Croatian youth and history teachers on a wide range of topics like history education, but also political participation.
The summary of previous work set the basis for the analysis of elements/patterns of transcultural memory on the wider, European level.
The finding of the research project contained (so far) one special issue, five peer-reviewed journal articles, and three peer-reviewed book chapters. The project is being presented both at the academic and non-academic level
This project went against the trap of methodological nationalism and instead tries to work on the community level in order to grasp how memories are negotiated, changed, and socially produced. I offered a new perspective for research on the difficult past and communicated the results to wider society. Some research results are presented as a repot which will be used in future guidelines for history education.