The Urge to Remember: The Roles of Memorials in Social Reconstruction & Transitional Justice

This report is based on the deliberations of the United States Institute of Peace Working Group that focused on the role of memorialization in promoting, jeopardizing, or impairing social reconstruction or reconciliation emerging from violent conflict.  Judy Barsalou and Victoria Baxter discuss the effect of memorials on victims and national identity by providing examples of efforts around the world.  Museum and libraries are prevalent examples as centers for memory and memorialization.  Also, brief mention of international criminal tribunals’ retention/disposition practices reveal the need to take more of a victim-based approach in handling records of a judicial nature.

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