New Bearings on the Remembered Past

TLDR: The Ashgate Research Companion to Memory Studies as mentioned in this paper is a collection of essays by philosophers, historians, sociologists, literary and cultural theorists, political scientists and experimental psychologists on memory research.

Abstract: Contemporary epistemologies place the subject at the centre of knowledge construction in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the emerging field of memory studies is a pre-eminent example. Memory research is nothing if not reflective, so research can be seen as a personal journey or quest. Scholars, however, seldom seek truth in isolation, so companionship or guidance is considered essential. This is the central organising metaphor for The Ashgate Research Companion to Memory Studies. Taking her cue from Pierre Nora’s conception of ‘ego-histoire’ (1987), editor Siobhan Kattago asked her contributors to reflect on their work ‘through the prism of their companions’. The result is an anthology which showcases the multifaceted nature of current memory research. The book includes essays by philosophers, historians, sociologists, literary and cultural theorists, political scientists and experimental psychologists. Since the 1990s, the field has grown exponentially, leading many to speak of a ‘memory boom’. As the sheer volume of primary and secondary literature now focused on memory can be overwhelming for those entering the field, one of the principal aims of the Companion is to help young scholars identify a mentor from among the contributors and find a research path they can follow. This is easier said than done, as the sheer number of paths opened up here adds another layer of complexity to a field already experienced as labyrinthine. Jeffrey Olick provides an Afterword which readers not already immersed in memory research may find helpful. Olick speaks of ‘three waves’ in the historical development of the field. The first emerged between the First and Second World Wars from the work of