Living Memorials: Understanding the Social Meanings of Community-Based Memorials to September 11, 2001

Erika S. Svendsen; Lindsay K. Campbell

doi:10.1177/0013916510361871

Living Memorials: Understanding the Social Meanings of Community-Based Memorials to September 11, 2001

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Erika S. Svendsen, Lindsay K. Campbell

Year:

2010

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916510361871

Source:

Environment and Behavior. 42: 318-334.

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Abstract

Living memorials are landscaped spaces created by people to memorialize individuals, places, and events. Hundreds of stewardship groups across the United States of America created living memorials in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This study sought to understand how stewards value, use, and talk about their living, community-based memorials. Stewards were asked to describe the intention, use, and meanings of the memorials. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis were used to analyze 117 semi-structured interviews. Sacredness of space varied by a memorial’s site type and uses. This and other findings supported the notion of sacred space as contested space. Sacred space can be produced from acts of "setting aside" that ascribe meaning to a memorial site.

Keywords

sacred space, memorial, September 11, civic stewardship, prememorial period

Citation

Svendsen, Erika S.; Campbell, Lindsay K. 2010. Living Memorials: Understanding the Social Meanings of Community-Based Memorials to September 11, 2001. Environment and Behavior. 42: 318-334.