Politics of the Past: Understanding the Role of Memory, Postmemory, and Remembrance in Navigating the History of Migrant Families

Title of the Paper

"Politics of the Past: Understanding the Role of Memory, Postmemory, and Remembrance in Navigating the History of Migrant Families"

Paper Information

• Research Domain: Study of memory and postmemory in the history of migrant families, integrated with explorations in the field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction)
• Keywords: Migrant families, memory and history, postmemory, cultural historical practices, HCI design

Research Background and Issues

• Issues and Challenges:

  1. Current mainstream historical materials (e.g., books, documentaries) and methodologies often perpetuate biases rooted in Western colonial perspectives, leading to one-sided historical narratives disconnected from emotional memories.
  2. Traditional historical analysis, emphasizing "objectivity," tends to overlook the complex processes by which migrants construct continuity in their lives through memory.
  3. In sensitive contexts such as migrant families, the application of oral history and alternative methods in the HCI field remains underexplored.

• Significance of the Research:

  1. For migrant families, memory (encompassing psychological, cultural, and familial dimensions) plays a crucial role in reconstructing identity and continuity.
  2. Integrating memory with technological design can help migrant communities bridge the historical and cultural disconnection caused by migration.

• Research Motivation:

  1. Propose the use of memory research methods to complement traditional historical approaches and develop technology perceptions tailored to migrant families.
  2. Contribute culturally sensitive methodologies to the HCI research field through the study of memory and the complexities of family history.

Solution

• Research Methods:

  • Conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 intergenerational migrant families from three communities (Bangladesh, Iran, Venezuela).
  • Analyzed the roles of memory keepers within families, strategies for memory practices, and the impact of postmemory on reconstructing family history and identity.

• Innovative Aspects of the Solution:

  1. Introduced memory research as a methodology into the HCI field to enhance understanding of the cultural and historical complexities of migrant families.
  2. Emphasized uncovering multiple narratives of migrant families through memory rather than mainstream historical materials.
  3. Focused on the role of "forgetting" in memory practices, revealing the dynamic nature of family history construction.

• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:

  1. Data Collection: Conducted individual interviews with grandparents, parents, and grandchildren to collect multidimensional family memories.
  2. Data Analysis: Used open coding and axial coding methods to extract three key themes: the politics of memory, family dynamics, and postmemory.
  3. In-depth Research: Explored how technology can support the transmission of migrant historical memories while avoiding burdens on memory keepers and respecting cultural complexity.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Findings:

  1. Identified three major themes in preserving migrant family memory: the politics of memory (e.g., who preserves memory), family dynamics (e.g., the impact of migration on family relationships), and postmemory (how descendants reconstruct family history).
  2. Highlighted the critical role of memory keepers (often mothers or grandmothers within families) as central drivers in migrant communities.
  3. Demonstrated the importance of "forgetting" in memory practices and the need to balance the unidimensionality of memory with the reconstruction of family history.

• Advantages Over Existing Solutions:

  1. Supplemented the limitations of traditional historical research by revealing the diversity of historical narratives through the lens of memory and emotion.
  2. Identified the complex challenges of technology in supporting memory preservation, avoiding overload or bias in certain historical narratives.

• Experimental and Evaluation Results:

  • Through participatory observation and interviews, uncovered diverse forms of memory preservation in migrant families (e.g., through objects, daily activities, and religious practices).
  • Showcased innovative practices based on "memory" in multigenerational migrant families and their implications for the direction of HCI research.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. Limitations:
     • The subjectivity and uncertainty of human memory make it difficult to fully reflect the entirety of past events.
     • Cultural and language translation during interviews may introduce subtle biases in the data.
  2. Future Research Directions:
     • Explore further possibilities for combining memory and history (History + Memory) methodologies.
     • Design intelligent technological tools that help migrant communities preserve their cultural memories while reducing the additional burden on memory keepers.
     • Conduct deeper studies on the potential of technology to shape family memory in multicultural integration, particularly incorporating virtual reality and augmented reality scenarios.