The past is what happened. History is what we write about it. History and memory are not opposed terms; rather, history and memory shape each other through remembering, forgetting and erasure. Historical narratives are always informed by memories of the past that are alive in individuals’ minds, including what we learned about the past through written and visual histories. Memories exist in individual brains, but they would not persist without social and collective memory frameworks which we study as “histories of memories.” This course will examine histories of memories during the “long” nineteenth century in the West and its empires (1789-1918) through the institutions and technologies that facilitate recall: museums, photography and cinema, print media and visual culture, as well as academic disciplines which emerged to study memory phenomena, such as history, psychology, archaeology, paleontology and more – many of which were formalized in the 19th century. The emergence of modern notions of time and its rapid pace of change will be considered alongside practices of preservation, conservation and the creation of memorials and monuments. Topics may include: the human body as a site of memory (tattoos, funerary practices); Napoleonic and Civil War memorials; theories of extinction; time capsules; tourism and souvenirs; Romanticism and ruins.
Please Note: this course’s title is similar to that of the course previously taught by Professor Crane in the summer of 2017; however, the course content this time will be drawn from the 19th Century and completely new. The 2017 course is not being repeated, nor is it a prerequisite for the new course.
NEW – Hybrid Course Format
- All classes will be delivered both in person and online via live video streaming. Students will enroll in their preferred format during registration.
- In person classes will be held in the Rubel Room at the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center (1508 E Helen St, Tucson, AZ 85721). Enrollment for in person classes is limited by classroom capacity and offered on a first come, first served basis. All students attending on campus will observe the relevant University of Arizona policies designed to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 (more information here). Students who enroll to attend in person will also have complete online access to the course including all class recordings.
- Online students may attend all classes via live video streaming and will be able to participate in all course Q&A sessions with the professor in real time. Students may also access class recordings for a limited time to assist those who may not be able to attend the live class times. Online access will be password protected and only available to enrolled students.
Registration will open online on Monday, August 9, 2021 at 8 AM (AZ Time)
