Memory and Material Culture

Symposium Date:  Saturday, April 5th, 2025 at 11am ET (Via Zoom) 

On behalf of the Coalition of Master’s Scholars on Material Culture (CMSMC), the Symposium Committee is circulating a call for papers for our 2025 symposium around the theme of “Memory and Material Culture.” 

Scholar Tiya Miles has written, “Things become bearers of memory and information, especially when enhanced by stories that expand their capacity to carry meaning.” Material culture is intimately connected with memory, both individual and collective. Family heirlooms make one recall a deceased loved one, a souvenir serves as a memento from a trip, or an artifact can become a mnemonic device for an important era of a community’s history. Objects are tangible reminders of the past, and shape our thinking about the present and future. Human memory may fade while things live on. One single artifact may represent multiple memories and meanings. 

“Memory and Material Culture” asks how do objects embody memory? How can this change over time? What stories are embedded within everyday items? Do these material memories recover forgotten history? Do they align with existing collective narratives? How does cultural heritage manifest through tangible objects? How do power dynamics influence the creation and interpretation of material culture? What is the interaction of memory and materiality- do objects themselves have a memory? 

The growing scholarship on the interplay of material culture and memory offers new avenues to explore the creation, interaction, and interpretation of artifacts. “Memory and Material Culture” encourages scholars from a variety of disciplines to consider how remembering, or forgetting, interacts with tangible things. From archaeology to art history, performance studies to ethnic studies, we welcome work from diverse fields to explore material culture and memory’s interrelation.