Collective forgetting? Mnemonic silence and its nuanced role in shaping collective remembering

Collective memories are the result of a nuanced interplay between what is collectively remembered and forgotten. Indeed, much like individual memory, collective forgetting is the rule, not the exception and thus plays a profound role in shaping how mnemonic communities collectively remember their past. And while it may be assumed that silence, or what my colleagues and I refer to as mnemonic silence, is associated with forgetting, this is not necessarily always the case. Indeed, the association between mnemonic silence, forgetting and collective memory are nuanced and, in some cases, counter-intuitive. To demonstrate this, I will discuss a taxonomy of mnemonic silence in terms of covertness, intentionality and relatedness as they relate to collective memories. Subsequently, I will discuss pressing, future issues surrounding mnemonic silence as they relate to both analog (e.g., monuments) and digital (e.g., social media) forms of cultural artifacts and their importance in understanding how and when collective memories will be forged and forgotten.