Silent Stones: The Symbolism and Contested Memory of Confederate Monuments at Gettysburg
Author
Kristensen, Andreas Toft
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-10-01
Pages
52
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger den symbolik og omstridte erindringskultur, der knytter sig til konfødererede monumenter i Gettysburg National Military Park. Med udgangspunkt i en historisk og kontekstuel analyse af udvalgte monumenter fra de tidligere sydstater belyser afhandlingen, hvordan monumenterne – gennem deres ordvalg, symbolik og dedikationspraksis – har understøttet skiftende politiske og kulturelle fortællinger, herunder den kontroversielle Lost Cause-fortælling. Arbejdet spænder fra begyndelsen til slutningen af det 20. århundrede og indrammer analyserne med en gennemgang af borgerkrigens baggrund (bl.a. slaveri og “states’ rights”) samt aktører som United Daughters of the Confederacy. Afhandlingen kobler desuden den historiske udvikling til nutidens diskussioner om historisk hukommelse, racemæssig retfærdighed og fjernelse af sydstatsmonumenter i det 21. århundrede. Resultatet peger på, at monumenterne både afspejler og påvirker offentlig historisk bevidsthed, og at deres betydning forandres i takt med bredere samfundspolitiske strømninger.
This thesis examines the symbolism and contested memory surrounding Confederate monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park. Through a historical and contextual analysis of selected monuments from former Confederate states, it shows how these memorials—via their wording, symbolism, and dedication practices—have supported shifting political and cultural narratives, including the controversial Lost Cause. Covering the span from the early to late twentieth century, the study situates monument analysis within the broader background of the Civil War (including slavery and “states’ rights”) and considers the roles of groups such as the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It also connects this historical trajectory to contemporary debates about historical memory, racial justice, and the removal of Confederate monuments in the twenty-first century. The findings highlight that these monuments both reflect and shape public historical consciousness, and that their meanings change alongside broader sociopolitical currents.
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