Memory, Resistance, and Justice (eBook)
Erin Goodman and Juanjo Romero (eds.)
This volume features essays about Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Spain, and Ireland. The diverse topics range from the vestiges of historical migration waves to the experiences of present-day minorities, from resistance against dictatorships in the second half of the twentieth century to the use of memory as a weapon of political combat today. However, all present a fresh, often original vision, in which the micro becomes an influential tool to understand larger trends, the nature of authoritarian power, the resources of the masses, and the tenacious resistance of the few. Latin America is a protagonist in this publication, appearing in essays about a multitude of experiences, the descendants of lesser-known migrant groups, the indigenous populations to newer minorities claiming recognition or the “original” settlers, pressured by the extension of modernity. Nor is Europe exempt from the voracity of memory, whether it be Ireland or Spain, or from the intellectual’s gaze or the suffering inflicted on the helpless. Putting together the pieces of the tumultuous last century provides a path toward understanding Europe today, including its present conflicts. Memory, Resistance, and Justice proposes a different and original reading of the role of memory in the reconstruction of modern societies. In all cases, as the papers show, the efforts of these determined people were not in vain. Their testimonies and what they’ve left behind—through photography, literature, and other art forms— endure and incite reflection about the future of the world.