Media and Conflict Memory: an interdisciplinary workshop.
University of Glasgow, 22-23 November 2023.
Synopsis
Media are integral to how we both remember and forget conflict. While individuals refer to the family photo album, the collective memories of communities are often shaped by iconic photographs of traumatic events such as popular uprisings, terrorist attacks, and wars. This memory work was traditionally confined to repositories such as historical archives, museums and institutions.
In recent years the ‘connective turn’ has ‘unmoored’ memory from these institutions, replacing traditional notions of collective memory with the searchable ‘memory of the multitude’ online. The automated systems of online platforms like Facebook ‘dig’ for memories on behalf of their users. Historical photographs shared on photo sharing sites like Instagram facilitate informal learning about events such as the Holocaust among younger generations. This has empowered a new generation of memory activists who leverage the affordances of online platforms for commemoration rituals. More recently, apps like Telegram have made it easier to document human rights violations during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, whilst simultaneously creating a curated, unsanitized ‘war feed’ for global audiences.
This workshop seeks to advance the discussion about the role of media in conflict memory work. We adopt a purposefully broad definition of conflict which includes (but is not limited to) armed insurrections, civil disorder, geopolitical interstate conflict, political violence in divided societies, terrorist attacks, and wars.
This event is co-sponsored by the Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication and Communication in Post and Neo-Authoritarian Societies Working Groups of the International Association of Media and Communication Researchers (IAMCR).
If you have any questions about the workshop please contact the organisers:
Dr Paul Reilly, University of Glasgow (paul.reilly@glasgow.ac.uk)
Dr Virpi Salojärvi, University of Vaasa/University of Helsinki (virpi.salojarvi@helsinki.fi)
Dr Katja Lehtisaari, Tampere University (katja.lehtisaari@tuni.fi)
Wednesday 22 November
| 09:00-09:15 | Welcome (Zoom) |
| 09:15-10:35 | Online Panel 1 |
| 10:35-10:50 | Break |
| 10:50- 12:20 | Online Panel 2 |
| 12:20-12:50 | Lunch |
| 12:50-14:20 | Online Panel 3 |
| 14:20-14:30 | End of Online workshop |
Main Building 256 Fore Hall
| 15:00-15:15 | Opening remarks |
| 15:15-16:45 | Panel 4 |
| 16:45-17:00 | Break |
| 17:00-18:15 | Panel 5 Documentary |
| 19:00 | Workshop dinner |
Thursday 23 November
Main Building 251 Committee Room
Dr Paul Reilly 