Struggles over memory?

Abstract In this contribution, I introduce decolonial memory activism as struggle over meaning ( Deutungskampf ). Decolonial memory activism is understood as a specific form of memory activism that calls for the decolonization of both memory culture and politics, which necessitates a confrontation with dynamics of violence, power, and oppression. Unlike research that has primarily focused on the contents of collective memory, I argue that decolonial memory activism seeks to fundamentally challenge and transform the epistemological foundations of collective memory itself. Grounded in decolonial theories and drawing from a shared resolution of decolonial memory activists across Germany, I illustrate three interwoven elements of hegemonic knowledge that are being challenged by decolonial memory activism: nationalism, temporality, and the storage model of memory. Through this lens, the paper suggests that an understanding of struggles over memory gains more depth by considering the epistemic dimensions of these struggles. Such an approach opens up new possibilities for peace and conflict research as well as for social and political transformations.