Memory and the Construction of Identity across Time and Place

FAIN: AK-255445-17

Fontbonne University (St. Louis, MO 63105-3098)
Corinne Wohlford (Project Director: October 2016 to October 2022)

The development of two sets of linked courses open to all undergraduates on the theme of memory and identity.

Fontbonne University's proposal for the Humanities Connections grant creates 4 courses-2 in history and 1 each in psychology and information science-united around the common theme of memory, particularly with regard to the way in which memory builds identity for individuals and collectives as they move through time and place. We use the experiences of the Bosnian diaspora in our own city as a common case study through which we can examine questions about psychological memory, collective memory, and preservation and public presentation of memory. To engage our students and our community, we are partnering with the Missouri History Museum to develop these courses and to expose students to cutting edge knowledge in archiving, curating and public history. The activities occur within the context of Fontbonne's Dedicated Semester, which in 2019 will focus the entire campus community on the study of memory from a variety of disciplinary perspectives in curricular and co-curricular activities.