Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2010, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (5): 217-242.

• Articles • Previous Articles    

From Collective Memory to Individual Memory: A Critical Reflection on the Social Memory Studies

Liu Yaqiu, Journal of Social Sciences in China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Press   

  1. Liu Yaqiu, Journal of Social Sciences in China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Press
  • Online:2010-09-20 Published:2010-09-20
  • Contact: Liu Yaqiu, Journal of Social Sciences in China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Press) E-mail: E-mail:liuyaqiu@hotmail.com
  • About author:Liu Yaqiu, Journal of Social Sciences in China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Press

Abstract:

From Halbwachs’s collective memory paradigm, this paper mainly reflects upon the power approach and social determinism in the field of collective memory, with a focus on the role of individual memory. Here we encounter memory glimmer, which mainly exists in individual memory, but sometimes it appears between individual memory and collective memory. Generally, it is a result of collision between the determined society theory and active individuals. Compared with the strong social memory paradigm, memory glimmer is too weak to be a separate memory category, but it describes one alternative of the social memory and implies another reality which has been overlooked.

Key words: collective memory , individual memory  ,  memory glimmer