Remembrance, Reflection, Reconciliation: The Performance of Collective Memory in Civil War Commemoration

Author

Kathryn L. McLane, College of William and MaryFollow

Date Thesis Awarded

4-2014

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

Interdisciplinary Studies

Advisor

Michelle Lelievre

Committee Members

Leah Glenn

Arthur Knight

Abstract

During the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, it is important to consider why people continue to commemorate the War one hundred and fifty years after its close, how these commemorations have changed over time, and what role collective memory plays in the commemoration process. Performance Studies scholar, Diana Taylor, describes the importance of utilizing both an archive of existing written literature as well as a repertoire of embodied action in order to accurately understand historical and cultural events. My thesis—a combination of a research paper and a ten-minute dance—exemplifies this concept, allowing me to effectively analyze the relationship between collective memory and commemoration in this comprehensive study.

Recommended Citation

McLane, Kathryn L., "Remembrance, Reflection, Reconciliation: The Performance of Collective Memory in Civil War Commemoration" (2014). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 14.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/14

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