Exploring the Purpose of Memorial Site Pedagogy

• In Event: Culture, Economics, Literacy, and Out-of-Classroom Experiences in Social Studies Education

Abstract

The idea of place as a geographical and pedagogical focal point is a compelling entryway into understanding the memory of the Holocaust in Germany and the educators of it. Therefore, what is the purpose of memorial site education at sites of former concentration camps? How does memorial site educators’ conceptualization of their practice and notions of history, memory, place, and pedagogy shape that purpose? Grounded in theoretical notions of memory literature on memorial site pedagogy, this paper explores four purposes of memorial site pedagogy: remembrance, knowledge acquisition, experiential, and combating right-extremism. It addresses how history, memory place, and pedagogy are foregrounded in each, offering a springboard for further exploration of education as memory work.

Author

• Irene Ann Resenly, University of Wisconsin - Madison