Actual Trends of Memory: the Problem Field of “Memory Studies”
Zubanova L.B.
Cand. Sci. (Sociol.)Dr. Sci. (Cult.), Prof., Department of cultural science and sociology, Chelyabinsk State Institute of Culture, Chelyabinsk, Russia milazubanova@gmail.com
Zyhovskaya N.L.
Dr. Sci. (Philol.), professor of department of Russian language and literature, South Ural State University (National Research University), Chelyabinsk, Russia ladoga122@gmail.com
Shub M.L.
Doc. Sci. (Cultur.), Assoc. Prof., Head of the Department of Cultural Studies and Sociology, Chelyabinsk State Institute of Culture, Chelyabinsk, Russia shubka_83@mail.ru
The study was carried out in the framework of the grant program of the President of the Russian Federation for state support of young Russian scientists – doctors of sciences (MD-2020 Competition), the project “Memory culture of the industrial cities of the Russian province: memorial strategies of regional identity”
Zubanova L.B. , Zyhovskaya N.L., Shub M.L. Actual Trends of Memory: the Problem Field of “Memory Studies” . Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2021. No 2. P. 140-145
The paper’s subject is a controversial field of memory research presented in the international academic periodical “Memory Studies” for the 12 years since it was first published (2008– 2019). The basic concepts and key memory-narratives are defined basing on the continuous sample of papers published in the journal (393 articles). The basic concepts make it possible to establish a thematic focus of current memory studies, and the memory-narratives are used to determine the predominant character of the interpretation of memorial discourse. In conclusion, the research establishes that despite being institutionalized as an independent research area, memory studies continue to retain their inherent thematic unpredictability and diversity. For this reason, it is currently impossible to come to an exhaustive list of the patterns of functioning and forecasts in the development of this area of research.