Introduction to The Politics of Regret: On Collective Memory and Historical Responsibility
Olick, J.K. “Introduction.” In The Politics of Regret: On Collective Memory and Historical Responsibility, 3-16. New York: Routledge, 2013. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203941478
In this book, Olick explores the collective memory and what he sees as a new framework of confronting past misdeeds in which regret is more ubiquitous and elevated as a general principle. In this framework, Olick emphasizes the importance of truth and understanding among descendants rather than solely between victims and perpetrators. I found this introduction valuable as he outlines the main points he makes in his book, as well as a useful literature review in collective memory and history.
He highlights the role of narratives in shaping individual and collective identities, particularly evident in the context of historical consciousness regarding German guilt, exploring differing sociological and historical viewpoints and their debates. For example, one debate is the understanding of memory as shaped by historical experiences, in contrast to the understanding of memory as a product of present needs and interests.
Olick also organizes social memory studies into three categories: instrumental, cultural and inertial, and highlights the challenge of differentiating as well as integrating individual and collective memory.
What most struck me was Olick’s analysis in the German context. In the specific cultural frameworks in Germany, he explores how images of the past, particularly regarding the Nazi era in Germany, undergo consistency and transformation based on their moral interpretation. Mnemonic practices, such as official representations, are entrenched in the moral order of society, shaping collective remembering within temporal contexts. He also contrasts this with the context in South Africa and the exemplified distinction between quiescence and durable peace, and the complexities of reconciliation and historical responsibility.