Individual and Collective Memory: Intersection Points

Abstract

The paper deals with the question of relation between the individual and collec­tive memory. It is shown that the approaches to research of individual and col­lective memory usually differ: individual memory is seen as an object of re­search of natural sciences and epistemology, while collective memory is studied by political science, sociology, history and other social sciences and humanities. It is substantiated that phenomena of collective memory are described via con­cepts that belong to individual memory – amnesia, oblivion, memory “trauma” etc., that in this case can be regarded as metaphors. The unbreakable link of col­lective memory and collective knowledge is shown. It is demonstrated that one of the most important mechanisms of connection between individual and collec­tive memory is empathy that helps to “live through” the memory of the Other that is expressed in language or other sign means. It is shown that one of the in­terlinking concepts in the research of individual and collective memory is the concept of narrative – both the autobiographical narrative as a personal life story of an individual, and the narrative as the history of the group – of the people, of nation etc. The productiveness of common research of individual and collective memory on the same methodological basis is substantiated.