Contested Urban Spaces: Monuments, Traces, and Decentered Memories

This book explores how urban spaces shape practices, actors, narratives, and imaginations within articulations of memory, focusing on the in/visibility and affective power of monuments and traces through political, activist, and artistic contestations in different geographical settings. It suggests that memories are shaped in contact zones, often in conflict and within hierarchical social relations, and that the notion of decentered memory shifts the perspective to relationships between imperial centers and margins, remembrance and erasure, nationalistic tendencies, and migration.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 10 February 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This captivating book delves into the intricate tapestry of urban spaces as a fertile ground for exploring practices, actors, narratives, and imaginations within the realm of articulations of memory. It sheds light on the profound impact of historical injustice and violence on contemporary debates, exemplified by the social protests and mobilizations against colonial statues. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the contributions to this book delve into the multifaceted aspects of monuments and traces, examining their invisibility, affective power, and the ways in which they are contested through political, activist, and artistic means across diverse geographical contexts.

Through their insightful analyses, the authors demonstrate that memories are intricately woven in contact zones, often characterized by conflict and hierarchical social relations. The concept of decentered memory offers a fresh perspective, shifting attention to the complex relationships between imperial centers and margins, remembrance and erasure, nationalistic tendencies, and migration. It unveils a rich tapestry of connections that emerge around unfinished histories of violence and resistance, which are intricately reflected in the monuments and traces that shape our understanding of the past.

This book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, activists, and artists seeking to understand the complex dynamics of memory, power, and identity in urban spaces. It encourages us to critically examine the ways in which monuments and traces shape our perceptions of history and challenge us to engage in meaningful conversations about the legacies of injustice and violence. By exploring the intersections of politics, activism, and art, this book offers a powerful lens through which to reimagine the narratives of our past and shape a more inclusive and equitable future.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030875077
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022