Religion, Identity and Memory

In the programme Religion, Identity and Memory, we adopt the approach of memory studies to investigate the role of collective and personal memories concerning religion in the narrative construction of identity. Spanning several disciplines, most notably anthropology, psychology and history, memory studies examines the interrelationship between cultural and material factors that frame representations of the past. The memory studies approach is particularly informative of the various ways in which actors appropriate and transform these representations. In our programme, we reflect on how people select, narrate and commemorate aspects from their collective and personal religious past, and on what they remain silent about.

The present focus is on printed and digital ego-documents, (solicited) written and oral self-narratives and (auto)biographies, while we intend to include the analysis of visual material in future projects as well. These various forms of identity texts offer a wealth of information on the question how religious voices are appropriated by individuals. Working with various genres of biographical research, including life story- and discourse analysis, the participants in this programme study how religious beliefs, practices and communities inform and are informed by collective and individual memories. In particular, the focus is on how the personal agency that protagonists exercise in constructing religious selves is instantiated in everyday cultural practices and discursively embedded in power relations.

The programme is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Mirjam de Baar, Dr. Marjo Buitelaar; Prof. Dr. Yme Kuiper and Prof. Dr. Hetty Zock. In addition to their own research, these staff members also supervise several doctoral students who participate in the programme. Other staff members contribute to the programme on a more occasional basis.