Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory”
This paper offers a commentary on Maurice Halwachs’ writings on “collective memory” in the years between 1925-1945. Architectural and urban spaces figure prominently in work of the French sociologist since he maintains that memories survive in the longue durée only to the extent they are indexed in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Konya Technical University Faculty of Architecture and Design
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Iconarp International Journal of Architecture and Planning |
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| Online Access: | https://iconarptest.ktun.edu.tr/index.php/iconarp/article/view/133 |
| _version_ | 1828024728417206272 |
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| author | Can Bilsel |
| author_facet | Can Bilsel |
| author_sort | Can Bilsel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This paper offers a commentary on Maurice Halwachs’ writings on “collective memory” in the years between 1925-1945. Architectural and urban spaces figure prominently in work of the French sociologist since he maintains that memories survive in the longue durée only to the extent they are indexed into architectural places, and mapped into an urban and historical topography. This comes with a caveat: in his pioneering study of “collective memory,” La topographie légendaire des Évangiles en Terre Sainte: etude de mémoire collective, Halbwachs highlights the discrepancy between the archaeological record preserved in material culture—for example ancient ruins and monuments—and the living memory of a religious community. Likewise, in his study of working classes, Halbwachs’ neologism, “collective memory” is defined as a deliberately unstable, and socially constructed category.
The provisional and fluid definition that Halbwachs assigned to “collective memory” offers an insight into our present predicament. In the last decades, the ability of architecture, urban design, and architectural conservation in framing and preserving a stable and unified cultural heritage has been profoundly challenged. This paper makes the case for moving away from merely technical inquiries that understand architecture and places as “sites of memory” to a new direction that builds upon Halbwachs’ social frameworks of memory. It is thanks to Halbwach’s pioneering, if incomplete, work on “collective memory” that we may understand how the emerging and open-ended social formations transform architecture and urban spaces.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T12:48:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7ca10e0bdf344039b6e4c1f655172b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2147-9380 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T12:48:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Konya Technical University Faculty of Architecture and Design |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iconarp International Journal of Architecture and Planning |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7ca10e0bdf344039b6e4c1f655172b82023-02-15T16:13:55ZengKonya Technical University Faculty of Architecture and DesignIconarp International Journal of Architecture and Planning2147-93802017-06-0151Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory”Can Bilsel0University of San Diego This paper offers a commentary on Maurice Halwachs’ writings on “collective memory” in the years between 1925-1945. Architectural and urban spaces figure prominently in work of the French sociologist since he maintains that memories survive in the longue durée only to the extent they are indexed into architectural places, and mapped into an urban and historical topography. This comes with a caveat: in his pioneering study of “collective memory,” La topographie légendaire des Évangiles en Terre Sainte: etude de mémoire collective, Halbwachs highlights the discrepancy between the archaeological record preserved in material culture—for example ancient ruins and monuments—and the living memory of a religious community. Likewise, in his study of working classes, Halbwachs’ neologism, “collective memory” is defined as a deliberately unstable, and socially constructed category. The provisional and fluid definition that Halbwachs assigned to “collective memory” offers an insight into our present predicament. In the last decades, the ability of architecture, urban design, and architectural conservation in framing and preserving a stable and unified cultural heritage has been profoundly challenged. This paper makes the case for moving away from merely technical inquiries that understand architecture and places as “sites of memory” to a new direction that builds upon Halbwachs’ social frameworks of memory. It is thanks to Halbwach’s pioneering, if incomplete, work on “collective memory” that we may understand how the emerging and open-ended social formations transform architecture and urban spaces. https://iconarptest.ktun.edu.tr/index.php/iconarp/article/view/133HalbwachsMaurice (1877-1945)Collective MemorySocial Frameworks of MemorySites of MemoryArchitecture |
| spellingShingle | Can Bilsel Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” Iconarp International Journal of Architecture and Planning Halbwachs Maurice (1877-1945) Collective Memory Social Frameworks of Memory Sites of Memory Architecture |
| title | Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” |
| title_full | Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” |
| title_fullStr | Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” |
| title_short | Architecture and the Social Frameworks of Memory: A Postscript to Maurice Halbwachs’ “Collective Memory” |
| title_sort | architecture and the social frameworks of memory a postscript to maurice halbwachs collective memory |
| topic | Halbwachs Maurice (1877-1945) Collective Memory Social Frameworks of Memory Sites of Memory Architecture |
| url | https://iconarptest.ktun.edu.tr/index.php/iconarp/article/view/133 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT canbilsel architectureandthesocialframeworksofmemoryapostscripttomauricehalbwachscollectivememory |