National Collective Memory

Question 1

In “The Death of Memory,” what is Zerubavel’s position regarding memory and history?

Answer 1

Unlike Nora, Z. holds that they are not at odds and that memory also “besieges history.”

Question 2

In “The Death of Memory,” what example does Zerubavel give to prove her position?

Answer 2

The changing interpretations of Israeli Jews’ imaginings of the event of Masada in AD 73, which included erasures, de-emphasis on the suicides, changing narratives, depending on the political moment

Question 3

What are the three branches that Barry Schwartz describes in his article about the massacre of Nanking?

Answer 3

Maximalism, revisionism, and centrism

Question 4

Schartz - maximalism

Answer 4

The maximalist branch exaggerates and ignores certain facts about the Nanking massacre and has a “tragic” narrative.

Question 5

Schartz - attribution

Answer 5

With “attribution” he means the attribution of blame to a particular group

Question 6

Schartz - revisionism

Answer 6

The revisionist branch avoids blame and instead attributes the massacre to external factors (ex. military strategy, response to other events, other actors, etc). The death count is significantly lower than maximalists’. Does not include POW deaths.

Question 7

Schartz - centrism

Answer 7

The centrist branch takes a more detached stance. It detaches itself from blame.

Question 8

According to Schwartz, what is the Japanese populations’s stance on the Nanking massacre?

Answer 8

They will accept blame, in contrast to the government.

Question 9

What is a repercussion if the government admits guilt in the Nanking massacre?

Answer 9

It could cause dissonance with the national narrative.

Question 10

Due to its detachment from blame, could centrism permit that the government take no responsibility for the Nanking massacre?

Answer 10

Since it’s presumably “apolitical,” it could. However, centrism can also arrive at a position that allows the narrative to move forward instead of staying stagnant in conflicts between maximalists and revisionists.

Question 11

How important are facts for Schwartz?

Answer 11

For Schwartz, memory should always take facts in account.

Question 12

What is Schwartz’ position regarding the discussions between the three branches?

Answer 12

For Schwartz, the conflicts between maximalists, revisionists, and centrists can actually result in better communication and clarification of the facts.