Two Models of Universalising Memory Practices

This concluding essay conceptualizes ‘universalising memory practices’ that are at the centre of the present special issue. By comparing the case studies, the article brings out two models of universalising memory practices that either establish equivalence among different interpretations of the past or coordinate between them. First, actors establish equivalence by defining rules under which heterogeneous memories can be subsumed. Equivalence decontextualises memories and divests them of temporal references. Here, the integration of mnemonic difference does not stretch the boundaries of a mnemonic realm, but expands its centre. Second, through coordination, memory actors connect different layers of interpretation that all refer to their own time and context. By rendering explicit the implicit rules of how those interpretations compete, actors open up a general standpoint of multiple temporalities. From this standpoint, reinterpretations can stretch the boundaries of mnemonic realms.