Cultural Trauma And Collective Memory: The Consequences Of Slavery

Our societies, politics, behaviors, cultures and way of thinking is closely related to historical events. Sometimes these events can produce positive outcomes or irremediable ones. The damages caused by the phenomenon called slavery were countless, and unfortunately the negative outcomes are still alive in modern-society. Take, for example, the position of people of color in the United States of America. Cultural trauma and collective memory is an article that exposes the consequences of slavery in America from a psychological prospective. The article explains how our memories are damaged by past slavery and how these traumatic experiences developed a collective though, shared across the country.

The concept of collective memory

is addressed in the article from a cognitive point of view. According to Emile Durkheim, an experience or event occurred in the past shared collectively by a group of individuals can be define as a collective memory. Emphasizing its importance as a social necessity, since it provides past and future parameters to answer questions such as where we come from and where we are going.

Another important concept from the article is denominated as the place of generation in collective memory. It highlights how generational movements shape present societies. According to the Hungarian-born sociologist Karl Mannheim, generational collective memory aside from its historical connotation, consists in offering “fresh contact with the Social and cultural heritage” of a society, which in a way helps us to rethink the past and filter ideas. In addition, he states that we move forward by collecting the positive experiences of the past and forgetting the negative ones, providing progressive ideas and gradually grow with the present and upcoming generations.

The Cycle of (generational) memory is the last topic introduced in the article and indeed the more documented. The gist of it is based on the idea of the formation of a collective consciousness, developed by the convergence of social forces and emerge of social movements, which in a sense shape and construct generations whether the individual was directly expose to it or not.

In conclusion, the article Cultural trauma and collective memory addresses key points, not just about the African American community, but several others ethnic groups that went through similar bitter situations in the past. The article also helps to understand current behaviors, based on past actions. Actions that shape and build our societies. Sometimes based on refreshing ideas and sometimes based on archaic ones that push us into dangerous never ending circles.