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Terrorism and Collective Memories

Comparing Bologna, Naples and Madrid 11 March

University of Rome III, Italy, tota{at}uniroma3.it

Commemorative rituals are opportunities for civil and political society to contribute to the values of democracy. They also are significant to the process of hegemony. This article compares the processes of civil society in remembering collectively or in forgetting events defined as terrorism in three major train explosions in Bologna, Naples and Madrid. The Bologna case is an example of the perfect memorial. The incident is commemorated on the anniversary day, same time and place of the attack and includes rituals by both government and private groups. The second incident, the explosion of train 904 in Val di Sambro, between Bologna and Naples, represents a case of imperfect oblivion, even if ironically this event is commemorated twice every year. Despite attempts by various groups to organize a more successful on-site ritual as in the case of Bologna, chronic fear of retaliation by the Camorra (the Naples ‘Mafia’) over the years has silenced political and civil institutions. Attempts to memorialize the event are fragmented at best and almost forgotten. The third case, in Madrid, exemplifies a commemoration in the making. Comparison of these three cases shows that the continual remembrance of terrorist victims has helped families to heal. Local and political outrage is expressed - through art, culture, and mass media - against the terrorists from whom the state is unable to defend its citizens. But, when processes of remembering are fragmented, interrupted or silenced, the state prevents citizens from organizing and systematically presenting their ideas, opinions and challenges in a peaceful but effective form, an essential element of a democracy.

Key Words: collective memories • commemoration • cultural symbols • terrorism

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