Theorising inclusive collective memory in contexts of contestation: The migration factor in Catalonia’s national memory

Abstract

This article investigates the role of migration in shaping contested collective memories, taking Catalonia as a case study. While memory studies have advanced the understanding of identity formation, the migration factor (M-factor) remains under-theorised, particularly in contexts where demographic change challenges entrenched national narratives. Catalonia offers a striking example: a territorial community with national aspirations but without a state apparatus, where over 70% of the population descends from internal and international migration. Despite this demographic reality, migration has received limited recognition in Catalonia’s institutional and social imaginaries, generating a paradox that fuels fragmented and contested narratives of belonging. Drawing on contemporary documentary sources and 17 semi-structured interviews conducted at the meso level with key institutional and social actors, the article analyses two domains: first, the diagnosis of contested memories of migration; second, the normative possibilities of developing inclusive collective memory policies. The findings suggest that the absence of an inclusive collective memory of migration reinforces identity fragmentation and contributes to the proliferation of exclusionary or mixophobic discourses. By contrast, strategically reframing migration as a foundational pillar of Catalonia’s shared past—through historical and demographic arguments—opens avenues for building integrative narratives. The article argues that inclusive collective memory should be understood as a strategic political project for fostering intercultural dialogue and strengthening intergenerational cohesion. More broadly, it advances a new conceptual framework for theorising inclusive collective memory in societies where migration intersects with contested national identities, contributing to foundational debates at the crossroads of memory studies and migration studies.