The Role of Memory in Shaping National Identity
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Date
2025
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Eurasian Experiment Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (EEJHSS)
Abstract
This paper examines the intricate relationship between memory and national identity through the lens of cultural psychology, sociology, and education. It posits that national identity is not a static essence but an evolving construct shaped by collective memory practices, both remembering and forgetting, mediated through institutions, discourses, and cultural artifacts. The study draws on theories of collective memory, national narratives, and symbolic representation to argue that nations use selective recollection to solidify shared belonging while omitting divisive or traumatic histories. Institutions such as schools, museums, monuments, and the media function as memory regulators, shaping public consciousness and identity. Through comparative case studies including Israeli Arab textbooks and Indian history curricula, the paper reveals how dominant narratives are maintained, contested, or revised to reinforce or reshape national identity. In an era of globalization, the negotiation of memory becomes even more complex, offering opportunities for hybrid identities but also for intensified memory conflicts. Ultimately, the paper underscores that memory is both a tool of nation-building and a terrain of struggle over who belongs and whose past matters.