This exhibit is developed as part of Sociology 402: Collective Memory and Society. In this course, we explore various aspects of the social dimensions of memory. Our guidebook for the class is the Collective Memory Reader by Jeffrey Olick, Vered Vintzky-Seroussi, and Daniel Levy. Using the readings collected in the Reader we explore themes such as: community and memory, power and memory, cultural trauma, and nostalgia. The goal of this exhibit is to provide illustrations and examples of collective memory to elaborate and support class readings. Each entry includes an image and a brief description of how it connects to the class material.
The banner image at the top of this screen is from a memorial bench at Ecole Holyrood School in Edmonton, Alberta. Among several images discussed by the class this was chosen because of its connection to the local Edmonton community and for its aesthetic beauty. It illustrates one way in which memory is integrated into the fabric of everyday social life.