The Work of Memory and the Unfinished Past: Deepening and Widening the Social Study of Memory in Southeast Asia

The question of what function memory plays in social life is investigated. An overview of existing scholarship on memory is presented to illustrate that most research has examined short-term memory. Noting that only a fraction of all memories are preserved, it is suggested that determining the role of memory in social life is essentially a political question. The tendency for certain unresolved issues to resurface after long periods of time is attributed to sudden & drastic changes in social, political, & cultural contexts. An explanation for some people's inclination to evaluate historical events using present-day moral standards is then offered; the rise of such an approach with regard to Japanese military aggression during WWII is noted. Summaries of articles published in this issue that address various issues concerning memory in various Southeast Asian nations are provided. The need to acknowledge the inextricable connection between questions of memory & of truth is stressed. 47 References. J. W. Parker