Nordic theatre studies : yearbook for theatre research in Scandinavia. No. 2

Abstract

The issue of memory wars relates both to the political violence and armed conflicts of the past and conflicting memories of the violent historical experiences in contemporary societies. The confrontation between different and often opposite interpretations of history appears particularly relevant with the recent rise of the rhetoric of war (information war, new cold war, hybrid warfare, war on terrorism, etc.) often relating to (or rooted in) the prior historical conflicts and their popular or institutional memory in different states and social groups. Although notably linked to contemporary political and social realities of Baltic States and Eastern Europe, the issue of memory wars has a broad appeal as it can focus on the conflicting, inconsistent and agonistic nature of historical evaluations and memories. World War II and the violence of the Holocaust, as well as post-war occupations, mass deportations and political persecutions crucially impacted the cultures of history and memory in different countries around the Baltic sea and still support deep divisions along social and ethnic lines and along the lines of regional and European identities. By pointing out therolesthat we take in the memories of war (the roles of victims or that of oppressors) as well as the ways of dealing with contested memories, sharingdramatichistories and cultivating empathy, the issue of memory warsin theatrical practices is especially relevant. As the representations of memory and history, both conflicting and dialogic become increasingly important in theatre productions, this issue naturally infiltrates the field of theatre studies.