Politics, Public Space, and Memorials: The Brawl on the Mall

Abstract

This paper examines recent proposals for memorials and monuments on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Demands for memorials are increasingly at odds with the Mall's important role as open green space and public protest space. This article analyzes the broader issues embodied in the competing purposes of this highly visible public space by considering the recent controversy over the World War II Memorial. The controversy focused primarily on the location of the memorial. Opponents contended the World War II Memorial would interrupt or destroy the iconography of the National Mall. Supporters argued that the location selected for the memorial was consistent with its importance in U.S. history and that it deserved such a prized location in the central axis between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The article then analyzes the politics behind the site selection, and examines the debate about the impact of the memorial's location. It concludes that the location of the memorial was not accidental but intentional, and thereby reveals a purposeful re-writing of the Mall's symbolic space to suit a specific vision of the war and its meaning in American history. The article also contends that the location of the memorial represents an emerging social-political agenda that is prioritizing the Mall as a place of commemoration at the expense of open space, and, perhaps, at the expense of public protest space. [

Masterplanning public memorials: an historical comparison of Washington, Ottawa and Canberra

“…Following an historical overview of the development of commemorative master planning in each of the three case study cities, comparative analysis explores three key intertwined topics that emerge from the limited existing literature critiquing commemorative development: the definition of memorial sites; 12 the scope of memorial themes and their spatial distribution; 13 and the reciprocal relationships between commemoration and other urban space needs, including general open space amenity and economic development. 14 …”

“…71 Some scholars argue that the growth in sacralized, guarded memorial space in densely developed central Washington compromises general open space provisions, and that the many signs, guards, rules and security checks deemed necessary to defend against terrorist acts at the Mall's memorials contradict the spirit of liberty that these national icons are meant to represent. 72 But this issue seems to be limited to central Washington, and is, even there, predominantly an interim problem of aesthetics and representation rather than general amenity. The long-term security guidelines and physical installations that have been developed for Washington's memorials have ensured that its major commemorative sites remain very accessible, and there is still a lot of useful open space around them.…”

Bollards, Bunkers, and Barriers: Securing the National Mall in Washington, DC

“…Because the Mall is federal space, the city lacks authority over how it is used and developed. Recently, other planning controversies, such as the 2001^03 debate over the location of the World War 2 Memorial, reveal how little influence the Mayor and his Planning Office have over the process (Benton- Short, 2006). For example, nearly every member of the DC political elite expressed opposition (including the Mayor and the DC Congressional delegate) to the location of the recently completed World War 2 Memorial, yet they had little power to reverse the site selection or to force the federal agencies to revisit their decision in a public forum.…”

The Uneven Landscape of California's Historical Landmarks

“…The ability to form collective memory and influence its portrayal on the landscape, both reflect and shape a society's power relations (Alderman and Dwyer ). Because heritage sites are powerful symbols, the designation processes and placement of markers are often contested and conflicts arise as groups vie for control over the meanings associated with the past (van West ; Alderman ; Benton‐Short ). This means that the cultural landscape is both the medium and result of a continuing struggle to define meaning and significance associated with memorials (Dwyer ).…”