Newswise — Next month the country will observe the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States with the opening of the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero in New York City. As the anniversary approaches, Mount Holyoke College Professor Karen Remmler is available to discuss a variety of issues related to the development and significance of this memorial.
Remmler, who holds appointments in MHC's departments of Critical Social Thought, German Studies and Gender Studies, is an expert on the remembrance of tragedies such as 9/11 and the Holocaust, memorials and burials, and the transnational politics of memory. She has visited many countries to research the expression of grief in both national memorials and private or hidden shrines.
Remmler is available for interviews surrounding the cultural, psychological and political need for countries to memorialize the victims of major tragedies and atrocities. She can discuss --
* Why the 9/11 memorial is important in the national and personal process of mourning; * The lengthy and difficult process of planning the new national memorial; * The competing needs and interests of the various stakeholders in that process; * Balancing the needs of the nation against those of the families of the deceased; * Why the site is considered "Sacred Ground"; * The significance of incorporating the remains of the dead in a memorial; * Why the memorial is politically important; * How the memorial will shape our remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001.
"The recuperation of the nation after the blow of the attacks on 9/11 requires a collective experience to bring catharsis," says Remmler. "The memorials (in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville) share a sense of sacredness and incorporate elements that respect the individuality of each victim by including their names. Recording the names of the dead retains their memories as individuals, not just numbered fatalities."
She adds, "The memorial museum serves multiple purposes and will historicize the event. It will write it into a collective history that serves to establish national identity, priorities, and myths."
A full interview with Remmler can be seen at: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/news/channels/22/stories/5682979
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