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Politics of Memory and Museums

How does remembering the past shape our present? Over the next two weeks, we’ll address this question together on a journey to understand, examine, and interrogate the tapestry of our collective past. Through engaging activities, debates, case studies, and encounters with historical memory, students will learn about the complexities of historical remembrance, weighing the perils and benefits of collective memory.

Instructor: Elsa Voytas

2-Week Course for Summer Scholars 2024

Dates Available: 

Session 2 - July 14 - July 26 2024,

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Overview

How does remembering the past shape our present? Over the next two weeks, we’ll address this question together on a journey to understand, examine, and interrogate the tapestry of our collective past. Through engaging activities, debates, case studies, and encounters with historical memory, students will learn about the complexities of historical remembrance, weighing the perils and benefits of collective memory. The course culminates in two student-driven projects, including crafting personal historical memory journals and designing virtual museum exhibits. There will be supplementary readings, but the activities and projects take center stage.

We will explore the connections between history, memory, and today with two key projects:

  • Project #1: Personal Historical Memory Journal, reflecting on significant aspects of your personal and family history.
  • Project #2: Design your own virtual museum exhibit using an online platform.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, students will:

  1. Define and articulate the concept of historical memory
  2. Critically evaluate the perils and benefits of remembering historical events, analyze diverse perspectives on historical memory, and engage in respectful and constructive debates on the topic
  3. Effectively communicate ideas through oral presentations, written work, and interactive methods
  4. Build time and project management skills to see two projects through to completion
  5. Connect knowledge acquired through the course to broader questions about how our past shapes our present

Pre-requisite

There are no prerequisites or required materials.

Instructor Biography

Elsa Voytas is an Assistant Professor of Quantitative Social Science at Dartmouth College. She is also affiliated with the Government Department. In 2021, she earned a dual Ph.D. is Politics and Social Policy from Princeton University and the Princeton School for Public and International Affairs. Her research centers on how societies use institutions of memory to influence contemporary politics. She has conducted fieldwork in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Ghana, and the United States. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, the Journal of Politics, the Journal of Peace Research, and the Oxford Handbook series.

As an instructor, she is committed to enabling students with diverse backgrounds to ask and answer challenging questions and to providing support along the way.

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