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This reading group focuses on the formation, transmission, and reconfiguration of memories in various forms, especially the ones about major historical events. Some of our readings intend to focus on how we define “Memory Studies” vis-a-vis rethinking its scopes and possibilities based on cultural, social, and historical contexts. We aim to draw interdisciplinary attention to Memory Studies – as a critical and productive lens – for genocide studies, ethnic studies, gender studies, anthropology, political science, environmental humanities and more. 

The reading group will meet four times in Fall 2024, to discuss both foundational texts in memory studies and those on the unfolding events. The texts we select will include scholarly works, fiction, plays, and poems. We encourage a critical reflection on how we remember the past and how such remembrance shapes the present and the (imagined) future. 

Date, time, and location for the meetings will be shared soon. Please contact any of the organizers if you would like to be added to the mailing list, any information, and/or questions. 

Point of contact: 

Ragini Chakraborty: raginic2@illinois.edu

Matthew Fam: mfam2@illinois.edu

Ann Xiaoxu Pei : xiaoxup2@illinois.edu