Coming to Terms with a Dark Past

Finland, South Africa and Bosnia-Herzegovina are each burdened by memories of a civil war, between either social classes, racial groups or ethnic communities. This book studies how the parties to these conflicts have attributed guilt to «the others» and victimhood to «us», and compares their respective memory politics and education strategies.

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Finland, South Africa and Bosnia-Herzegovina are each burdened by memories of a civil war, between either social classes, racial groups or ethnic communities. History wars have followed the conflicts and been fought on the arenas of popular rhetoric, public memory, that is, monuments, museums and commemoration rituals, and history education. This book studies how the parties to these conflicts have attributed guilt to "the others" and victimhood to "us" in each country, and compares their respective memory politics and education strategies. The author draws on the potential on "history from below" activities and multiperspectival history lessons.