Doctoral Dissertation Research: Historical Memory and the Making of Liberal-Democratic Citizens in Post-Franco Spain

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University of Chicago doctoral student Jonah Rubin, supervised by Dr. Jean Comaroff, will undertake research on reformulations of a nation's collective memory in transitions from non-democratic to democratic forms of government. The importance of forging a common narrative about the newly democratic country's past is widely recognized, but the actual process of rewriting national histories is often marred with controversies. One reason for this is the lack of understanding of precisely how and why memory is important to creating liberal citizens and states. This research will fill this gap through a field investigation of the production and transmission of historical memories.The research will be conducted in Spain. Over the past decade, the issue of how to remember the victims of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and ensuing Franco dictatorship (1939-1975) have concerned legislators, educators, and everyday citizens throughout Spain. Using a wide variety of qualitative methodologies, including interviews and participant observation, Rubin will carry out research at and near exhumation sites, in schools, and with organizations dedicated to creating historical memory. The researcher will assess: (1) the practices by which historical memories are formed in exhumations and other forensic encounters; (2) the ways this historical memory is articulated and transmitted to the next generation in school curricula; and (3) how the creation and transmission of historical memories reconfigure the understandings of citizenship in contemporary Spain. The research will contribute to social science theories of processes of marked political transitions. Findings may be of interest to those involved in transitional justice policy making and the implementation of democratic transitions the world over. Funding this research also supports the education of a graduate student.