Event Title

Collective Memory of Violence and Oppression under Dictatorships in Chile and Argentina.

Presentation Type

Presentation

Location

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 161

Start Date

18-4-2018 4:20 PM

End Date

18-4-2018 4:40 PM

Disciplines

International and Area Studies | Latin American Languages and Societies | Political Science | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature

Keywords

Collective Memory; Spanish; Politics and Government; Chile; Argentina

Abstract

This project entailed a comparative study of reconciliation efforts in post-dictatorship Chile and Argentina, comparing and contrasting the ways in which literature, art and policies had a role in ensuring that society remembered the human rights abuses that occurred during such Regimes. It developed an in-depth explanation of collective memory in these countries by utilizing interviews with experts and people who lived through the dictatorships and visiting museums to inform an interpretation of memory. Both Chile and Argentina experienced governments that limited individuals’ freedom of speech and assembly, specifically for anyone who was considered a “subversive.” “Subversives” included students, union leaders, communists, socialists, and anyone who was perceived as an opponent to the military government. These people, later dubbed ""los desaparecidos"" (the disappeared), vanished without any public explanation, and their families were left wondering if their loved ones were still alive. To stifle dissenting opinions, the two governments conducted widespread torture, and, in the case of Argentina, threw unconscious people out of planes. A total of 40,000 Chileans were tortured, “disappeared,” or were executed and more than 30,000 Argentines were killed.The project sought to find similarities and differences in the two cases.

Project Origin

Theory-to-Practice Grant

Faculty Mentor

Andrea Colvin

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Apr 18th, 4:20 PM Apr 18th, 4:40 PM

Collective Memory of Violence and Oppression under Dictatorships in Chile and Argentina.

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 161

This project entailed a comparative study of reconciliation efforts in post-dictatorship Chile and Argentina, comparing and contrasting the ways in which literature, art and policies had a role in ensuring that society remembered the human rights abuses that occurred during such Regimes. It developed an in-depth explanation of collective memory in these countries by utilizing interviews with experts and people who lived through the dictatorships and visiting museums to inform an interpretation of memory. Both Chile and Argentina experienced governments that limited individuals’ freedom of speech and assembly, specifically for anyone who was considered a “subversive.” “Subversives” included students, union leaders, communists, socialists, and anyone who was perceived as an opponent to the military government. These people, later dubbed ""los desaparecidos"" (the disappeared), vanished without any public explanation, and their families were left wondering if their loved ones were still alive. To stifle dissenting opinions, the two governments conducted widespread torture, and, in the case of Argentina, threw unconscious people out of planes. A total of 40,000 Chileans were tortured, “disappeared,” or were executed and more than 30,000 Argentines were killed.The project sought to find similarities and differences in the two cases.