Mediation of Memories of Past Conflict
This introductory chapter sets the theoretical and conceptual framework for analyzing the mediation of memories of past conflicts in Europe. It begins by situating the study within the broader socio-political context of contemporary Europe, marked by resurging tensions, austerity, and contested technological progress. Drawing on the RePAST project's research and focusing on six countries—Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Kosovo, and Bosnia & Herzegovina—the chapter introduces the central questions on how media systems mediate collective memories of conflict. The chapter combines the circuit of culture approach with theories of power and mnemonic hegemony to develop a model that accounts for production, representation, and reception processes. The main argument underpinning the chapter and the book more broadly is that the mediation of past conflicts is deeply entangled with present-day power dynamics, identity politics, and struggles over historical narratives. Further, the chapter outlines key concepts such as media memory, the role of genre and form, the contested nature of hegemonic and counter-memories, and the performative nature of collective remembrance. It also identifies gaps in previous research, including the need for comparative and longitudinal analyses of media memory and the influence of digital media environments. Finally, the chapter introduces the structure of the book, explaining how it is organized into three interrelated sections: Production and Institutional Power, Representational Struggles, and Reception and Politics from Below. By developing a theoretical foundation, this chapter sets the stage for the empirical studies that follow, emphasizing that the mediation of troubled pasts is not about remembering but about ongoing contests over meaning, identity, and political legitimacy.
Publisert i 2025
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