Ideological aspects present in the construction of collective memory

Abstract

In the present paper, we analyze possible articulations between memory and ideology, highlighting the mechanisms that render memory an ideological construction. We are aware that “memory” and “ideology” are complex and controversial concepts which have originated a plurality of conceptions and have fostered intense discussions. Recognizing the difficulty of such an enterprise, we believe that it is important to understand the relations between both phenomena, and to highlight the peculiarities of a memory that is constituted from ideologies. It should be mentioned that not every memory is ideological - only those that, as a result of social disputes, legitimate an official version of the past, distort representations, promote oblivion of political events and institutionalize the memory of winners in order to hide domination relations and to consolidate the constituted power.