Caftanism, Instead of the Oblivion

Authors

  • MILENA B. JOKANOVIĆ Faculty of Philosophy University of Belgrade Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2298/GEI2403077J

Keywords:

caftanism, memory, forgetting, remembrance, identity construction

Abstract

The following research is based on the existing contributions in the domain of the memory studies and notion of fine difference between processes of memorising, remembering and forgetting. After a brief introduction to the meaning of terms crucial for the cultural memory and their use in the identity construction process, this theoretical frame will be further analysed through the observation of my grandmothers’, Ashkenazi-born Belgradian, family photo album as a particular figure of memory. Realizing that this photo album does not reveal neither one image of Holocaust and tragic memories, while my grandmother did remember these, a contribution to the cultures of memory theory will be offered and explained through the metaphor of caftan. When unaccepted, it seems as we create robes to hide fragments of our identity under the caftan, everything our social surrounding would not like, or aspects about ourselves we do not want to present. Proposing this term to the cultural memory studies, caftanism would refer to the socially constructed oblivion, which is completely different than the real, literal forgetting.

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Published

2025-12-24

How to Cite

B. JOKANOVIĆ, M. (2025). Caftanism, Instead of the Oblivion. ГЛАСНИК ЕТНОГРАФСКОГ ИНСТИТУТА САНУ, 72(3), 77-90. https://doi.org/10.2298/GEI2403077J

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