The identities of Spain, from traditional narratives to current historiography

Along with studies on cultural memories, national identities have proved to be one of the most fertile grounds in the last three decades for encouraging historiographic studies; for the images of the past – and by extension the writing of history – are one of the principal ways in which identities and memories manifest themselves. It is however true that the study of historiography can by no means be reduced merely to an inquiry concerning public uses and historical narratives. Historiography also covers all ideas, whether philosophical or methodological, which revolve around historical writings and historical thought, their specific methods and content, and the circumstances of the historians and intellectuals that produce them. In fact, it is historiography itself which has ceased to be one of the main supports of identity processes as such uses and narratives diversify and adapt to mass societies. At the same time, the fact that current historiography has been able to deconstruct those identities and memories, by examining how they have arisen and evolved, and what their political roles have entailed, has also been an issue worthy of attention

On the relationship between history and memory

What kind of relationship is established between history and memory? Historians – especially those devoted to the study of contemporary history – have few doubts that witnesses play a crucial role in the inquiry of the recent past. However, when they opt for detail in this issue, such writers normally highlight the differences between the aforementioned fields, with some reducing the latter to what some French specialists describe as the static category of “oral archives” .2 Only a few suggest more complex possibilities.3 The vast majority, focusing on the cognitive nature of both realms, are content to assert that history and memory are different phenomena and should by no means be confused. Behind this opinion there might even lurk a diagnosis of culture as is the case, for example, of the well-known Les Lieux de mémoire by Pierre Nora. But Nora’s cultural hypothesis has never been entirely convincing, as we can see, for instance, in the book that forms the subject of this review (pp. 5-7, 122). Nora saw the contemporary multiplication of “lieux de mémoire” (realms of memory) as a sign of the breaking with the past that is characteristic of the present culture.4 However, when Les Lieux was published between 1984 and 1992, Nora was not yet in a position to have a deep understanding of the growing role of memory in all fields where human behaviour is reflected (politics, economics, identities, mass culture and intellectual culture), as was its competition with history, at least in topics concerning contemporary history. In the last two decades political and cultural changes have demonstrated that the explosion of memories is not a fleeting situation

La época de Ceausescu y la caída del comunismo en Rumanía: historia y memoria

El objetivo de este trabajo es investigar la evolución de la memoria histórica enRumanía durante tiempos de los Ceausescu hasta la actualidad. Esto será realizado medianteel análisis de la cinematografía de esta época y la posterior nueva ola rumana de comienzosdel milenio. A lo largo de este proceso se podrá observar en la memoria la evolución típicaque ocurre con la llegada de una dictadura hasta la caída y consecuente posterior crítica deestos años. Durante el periodo de los Ceausescu se podrán observar numerosas obras cuyoobjetivo es ensalzar el nacionalismo ya fuera con motivos de la unificación de Rumanía o lalucha del pueblo rumano contra el nazismo en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, además depropaganda del régimen y búsqueda de ensalzar el Partido Comunista Rumano. En la épocaposterior a la dictadura, las obras dan un giro y se vuelven abiertamente críticas tanto con elrégimen como con el comunismo dando una imagen mucho más oscura sobre este periodo.<br /

El papel de la mujer en el Ejército Rojo durante la Gran Guerra Patria (1941-1945).

Este ensayo final de grado examinará la historia de las mujeres que formaron parte del ejército soviético durante el período de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Se trataba de mujeres que no solo lucharon en la retaguardia, sino también en primera línea de combate, ya fuesen enfermeras, aviadoras, francotiradoras o tanquistas, entre otros roles. A partir del testimonio de algunas figuras femeninas relevantes, demostraremos que las mujeres desarrollaron un papel relevante en lo que se refiere a la victoria de la Unión Soviética contra el nazismo.<br /