The Contribution of Body Remains to El Salvador’s Transitional Justice: El Mozote Case

Clara Guardado, Universität Zürich

In this presentation I would like to explore the scholarly production discussing the relationship between memory, justice, and aesthetics. I seek to explain the impact of the political violence of El Salvador’s civil war in the 70s and 80s on the everyday lives of populations still affected by it. I take El Mozote massacre in El Salvador as a case study, since it has been considered one of the largest in the region. As a different approach to study memory and the aftermath of war violence in the region, I aim to discuss the way in which objects (i.e. bones, pictures, archival material) have shaped settings of pain and its aesthetics. My goal is to contribute to rethinking narratives of political violence, memory, and justice by exploring the role that objects and its various meanings have for both, the communities and families seeking justice, and the state’s quest for societal reconciliation. I consider that studying the violence of the past through objects may contribute to clarifying why after signing peace accords some countries in the Central American region became some of the most violent in the world.

All are welcome. Attendance is free. Booking is recommended

For more information about the seminar and future sessions, you can visit our blog. You can also Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to receive seminar updates.