The Social Functions of Memory. A Literature Review

Essay from the year 2012 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0, University of Tubingen, course: Übung: Written Communication II, language: English, abstract: This paper will situate the concept of memory into a social and cultural context: It will show how individual memory and cultural memory influence and depend on each other, and that thereby, a cultural identity is formed. Also, it will depict the effects of cultural memory on society and politics. As it refers to a rather abstract notion, the term 'memory' is highly difficult to define or describe. Memory is not only the object of psychology but also of the field of humanities, in particular philosophy, social studies and cultural studies.