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Counter‐Memory Activism in the Aftermath of Tragedy: A Case Study of the Westray Families Group
Author(s) -
VERBERG NORINE,
DAVIS CHRISTOPHER G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
canadian review of sociology/revue canadienne de sociologie
Language(s) - French
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1755-618X
pISSN - 1755-6171
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-618x.2011.01248.x
Subject(s) - narrative , tragedy (event) , scripting language , sociology , strict constructionism , social constructionism , social psychology , gender studies , aesthetics , psychology , political science , literature , social science , law , art , computer science , operating system
Les récits ont leur importance dans la manière qu'ont les gens d'interpréter les grands moments de leur existence. Cette étude propose une analyse de récit sur l'activisme de contre‐mémoire adopté par un groupe de familles de victimes de l'explosion de la mine de Westray (à Plymouth, Nouvelle‐Ecosse, en 1992), tragédie qui a coûté la vie à vingt‐six mineurs. Contre l'interprétation des intervenants de premier plan (e.g., c'était un “accident”), le groupe a opposé un récit sur la “négligence criminelle” de la compagnie, autour duquel il a tissé ses activités publique de commémoration. En s'inspirant du socioconstructivisme et de l'approche de la mémoire sociale, notre étude montre comment un regroupement de familles modestes peut influer la mémoire sociale et l'action collective. Narratives are critical to how people understand themselves and the significant events of their lives. Drawing upon social memory theory and the social constructionist approach to social problems, this study provides a narrative analysis of the counter‐memory activism of the Westray Families Group (WFG), which formed after 26 men died in the 1992 Westray mine explosion (Plymouth, NS). Against alternative explanations promoted by more powerful stakeholders, the WFG adopted and weaved a corporate negligence narrative into their commemorative activism. This study illustrates how a small families group can draw reflexively upon and reshape cultural scripts to narrate how others should remember and respond to key events.