The formation, reconfiguration and dissolution of nations and peoples have transformed cultural landscapes the world over. Through tumultuous events such as the World Wars, the Holocaust, the fall of the Soviet Union, North American westward expansion and colonial and post-colonial disruptions, the cultures and peoples of the globe have been radically altered, displaced, and exterminated. Despite the meta-narratives of European unity, Islamic unity and the One World Order, memory persists in diverse and multifaceted cultural and historical expressions. In this symposium, we will explore how various cultural representations (literature, film, music, and all forms of narrative and artistic expression) negotiate the turmoil of the past.

The Symposium Directors would like to acknowledge the assistance and financial support of the Texas Council for the Humanities, the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas Tech University, the Honors College, the Departments of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, English, History and Philosophy.