Returning to the Site of Horror

Debates surrounding the transformation of Argentina's former Naval School of Mechanics (ESMA) into a 'Space for Memory' reveal a lack of consensus on how to adequately commemorate sites of state terrorism. This absence of closure presents an opportunity to critically examine the politics and material poetics of contemporary memorial museums, particularly in relation to postmemory, secondary witnessing, and the politics of empathy. The study analyzes key arguments in this debate, highlighting their implicit or explicit attitudes towards museal forms and their broader implications for understanding collective memory and historical trauma.

Andermann, J. (2012). Returning to the Site of Horror. Theory, Culture & Society, 29(1), 76–98. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276411423278