What Can Dead People Teach Us? Genealogy, Commemoration, and Change

In the popular imagination, genealogy is typically thought of as a socially inconsequential hobby, albeit one that is practiced by a substantial and growing number of people. Genealogy has had a troubled history, because it was traditionally used by those with privilege or power to trace their lineages, maintain the status quo, or exclude ‘less-desirable others’. But the practice’s contemporary uses are considerably more varied. With a focus on the central epistemological nature of genealogy and its production of genealogical memory and commemoration, I argue that genealogy is now being mobilized to create historical awareness that can transcend the level of family memory. I examine how genealogical memory can influence families’ collective identities, forge emotional connections with dead ancestors, trigger forms of mourning, and complement social history by giving voice to common people who are not usually the subjects of official, state-driven, historical commemoration. I also discuss how genealogical memory may sometimes prompt and support progressive social activism and efforts to promote social change.