Collective experiences of symbolic reparation in relatives of victims of forced disappearance in Argentina

Abstract

 Introduction: After the traumatic experience of the last dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983), from the recovery of democracy to the present, there have been numerous experiences of symbolic reparation in relatives of the disappeared. Some have been promoted and managed by the State, others by human rights organizations, institutions, or cultural groups, such as our case study: “El Rancho Urutaú” Space for Culture and Memory in the city of Ensenada (Province of Buenos Aires) in which families are invited to participate in the construction and placement of murals that represent their loved ones.

Main goal: Analyze the participation, reception and effects of these collective memory practices in the family environment.

Method and technique: Starting from a qualitative analysis and a theoretical perspective based on Memory Studies, we focus on the analysis of traumatic memories and grief work with the contributions of psychoanalysis. For this, we resort to participant and non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews approached with the Oral History methodology.

Results: The inquiry shows that these reparatory practices enable families to approach different ways of dealing with the traumatic experience through the sharing and building memories collectively.

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