PSY 292 - Collective Memory

Instructor
Multhaup

Remembering is a social as well as cognitive experience.  For example, we reminisce with others, select which details we share and don’t share based on who those others are, and which portions of memories we rehearse and silence affects what we later remember. Students in this course will explore current theory and research regarding collective memory, primarily from a psychological perspective. We will explore questions raised by Boyer and Wertsch’s (2009) influential book (e.g., How do we build shared collective memories? How does memory shape history?  How does memory shape culture?) and related issues (e.g., silencing of memories, borrowing others’ memories, how culture influences memory).  Our study will be grounded in cognitive psychology and draw upon additional subfields (e.g., social psychology, cross-cultural psychology) and intersections with related fields (e.g., sociology, cultural studies, museum studies).

Provides elective credit toward the Psychology major.
​Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

*Interlinked Memory Studies Courses

Courses from different departments engage with phenomena of memory with joint meetings of the Memory Commons. Students meet one day a week with their course instructor to engage in the discipline-specific study of memory. On the other day each week, students and faculty members in multiple courses meet together to compare and share different disciplinary and personal ideas about the study of memory; the creation and effects of memory; the representation of memory; and the social, cultural, and personal creative processes that make memory. Participating courses vary with each offering.