A Contribution to the Study of Collective Forgetting Through the Lens of Social Representations and Transmission

Abstract

This article explores collective forgetting as a socially constructed phenomenon. While memory has been the subject of numerous studies in the field of social psychology, forgetting remains largely untheorized, particularly in its social, cultural and political dimensions. Drawing on Social Representation Theory and qualitative research, we argue that forgetting is not simply an individual cognitive failure or the effect of the unconscious, but the product of socialization processes. It is transmitted through families, institutions, the media and cultural norms, often shaping collective identities and power dynamics. We examine how forgetting manifests itself in discourse through silences, absences, uncertainties, and narrative transformations. Case studies, such as intergenerational silence around the Second World War or institutional efforts to redefine local histories, illustrate how forgetting can be deliberate or negotiated. Methodologically, the article highlights the value of interviews, biographical narratives, and comparative discourse analysis. Ultimately, it calls for a broader psychosocial approach to forgetting.