Memory of the World: An Introduction

Edmondson, Ray

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-18441-4_2

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…During the organization's history these conceptions have, however, been repeatedly called into question through accusations of "politicization" (see e.g., Dutt, 1995) grounded on what is known as the functionalist approach to international organization (see Mitrany, 1944). The same can be said about the MoW register (see e.g., Charlesworth, 2010;Nakano, 2018;Edmondson et al, 2020).…”

Section: Two Paths To Peacementioning

confidence: 93%

Heritage for sustainable peace: the politics of contested histories and the Nanjing controversy at UNESCO

Huttunen

2024

Front. Polit. Sci.

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This article explores the politics of heritage of the 2015 Sino-Japanese confrontation resulting from the controversial inclusion of the “Documents of Nanjing Massacre” in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, which promotes the preservation of archival documents as humanity's common heritage. Through an analysis of the Chinese nomination form proposing the inclusion of the documents in the register and the Japanese response to it, reflected against the principles of the register, this article examines how the seemingly apolitical and universal understanding of heritage and its links with sustainable peace proposed by organizations such as UNESCO fails to hold its ground when linked to the interests of a nation that claims ownership of it. Through an exploration of the Nanjing debate as a point of friction in the interplay of international ideals and national interests, it makes a case for an understanding of the interaction between the supranational and the national as a two-way street through the example of UNESCO's somewhat peculiar understanding of sustainable peace and its exploitation for political purposes. The article concludes that the idealistic effort to preserve archival heritage and to increase recognition of its significance seems to have become overshadowed by the MoW register's unintended facilitation of competing nationalistic narratives, leaving the door open for the exploitation of the register for purposes that contradict the very principles it was founded upon. Thus, while this case surfaces practical issues with the adoption of UNESCO's “heritage for sustainable peace” agenda seriously calling into question the realizability of such an idea, the mere fact that both China and Japan sought to seek ruling on their bilateral dispute through UNESCO implies a display of faith in the organization and its mission.

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Section: Two Paths To Peacementioning

confidence: 93%

Heritage for sustainable peace: the politics of contested histories and the Nanjing controversy at UNESCO

Huttunen

2024

Front. Polit. Sci.

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“…4 Also worth pointing out is that the technical requirements mean that the programme will automatically privilege those who have the power to assemble a nomination archive. Decisions are made by the International Advisory Committee, which guides UNESCO on the planning and implementation of the MOW programme (Edmondson, 2002; Vickers, 2021).…”

Section: ‘Memory Of the World’ And The Politicisation Of Nominationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 2002 revision of the guidelines broadened its focus from protecting endangered documentary heritage to include an emphasis on the content of such writings. The remit of the MOW is now defined as ‘the documented, collective memory of the peoples of the world [which has] world significance’ (Edmondson, 2002: 2). The 2002 guidelines can be seen as a turning point as they triggered a sharp increase in the number of nominations, including a growing number of archives concerning oppressed groups or from nations that have suffered from colonisation, war and dictatorships (also see Vickers, 2021: 4).…”

Section: ‘Memory Of the World’ And The Politicisation Of Nominationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme and claims for recognition of atrocities: The nominations of Documents of Nanjing Massacre and Voices of the ‘Comfort Women’

2023

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This article explores the use of the UNESCO Memory of the World programme in claims for recognition of atrocities, focusing on two recent nominations: Documents of Nanjing Massacre and Voices of the ‘Comfort Women’. We argue that amid domestic and international contestation of memories and historical accounts, cultural programmes, such as the Memory of the World, have become increasingly politicised and used to push for international recognition of past atrocities. The article reflects on the character of the Memory of the World programme and the core reasons for nominations to such programmes. It also considers the possible consequences of registration as it transposes the heritage of memory from the local to the global stage (and back) and in the process subjects both memory and heritage to various forms of authorised transformation and reification. We bring attention to how official recognition by the Memory of the World affects ongoing collective memory formation, and express concerns about the appropriation of individual and local memories, as they are granted universal value.

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“…How is remembering those who saved lives and, by extension, a people that saved lives, in the name of memory, justice, and reconciliation, to be understood in the context of the intervention of statecraft? How can we make sense of claims that the commemoration of the past is a performative morality, 6 especially through a particular UNESCO program that is aimed at preserving documents as both artifacts and information carriers (Edmondson, 2020a)?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Memory, borders, and justice: The emerging morality competition over the wartime documentary heritage of Jewish refugees in East Asia

Huang

2024

Memory Studies

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This article brings attention to the moral aspect of remembering by examining the emerging interest in wartime documentary heritage in East Asia, particularly epitomized in recent competitions and disputes over nomination processes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Memory of the World. It examines China and Japan’s attempts at pursuing MoW registers and leading the commemoration of Jewish passages in wartime East Asia, through which they wish to gain an international reputation for morality derived from the Holocaust. This study demonstrates that memory politics in East Asia, instead of only reinforcing the image of innocent victims of wars, has moved toward featuring the righteous figures who preserved humanity against violence. It also sheds light on the limits of MoW—an institutional practice that is not designed to accommodate entangled memory but to confine and govern memories.

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Memory of the World: An Introduction

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Heritage for sustainable peace: the politics of contested histories and the Nanjing controversy at UNESCO

Heritage for sustainable peace: the politics of contested histories and the Nanjing controversy at UNESCO

The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme and claims for recognition of atrocities: The nominations of Documents of Nanjing Massacre and Voices of the ‘Comfort Women’

Memory, borders, and justice: The emerging morality competition over the wartime documentary heritage of Jewish refugees in East Asia

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