Why and how do we remember past atrocities and human rights violations? What is the role of memory sites in social reconstruction, transitional justice and democratisation? How do memory sites shape communities, societies, identities and nations?
As witnesses and testimonies of abuse and horror, memory sites aspire to build reflection, teaching and learning, critical memory and non-repetition. Memory is dynamic and constantly evolving, so memory sites function as places where to look at the past to better understand and shape the present and the future of a society and its approach to human rights. As “sites of conscience” drawing on history lessons, memory sites stimulate dialogue and healing, and inspire citizens’ action.
The course is articulated in 3 modules:
The course has been developed under the leadership of the Master's Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LATMA) and the European Regional Master's Programme in Democracy and Human Rights in South East Europe (ERMA). The faculty includes the following lecturers and experts (read bios here), among others:
Maria Sonderéguer
Professor at the University of Quilmes
Vesna Teršelić
Director of Documenta - Centre for Dealing with the Past and Right Livelihood Award Laureate
T. Jeremy Gunn
Professor of Law and Political Science at Université Internationale de Rabat (Morocco)
Prajak_Kongkirati
Research Director of the Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University, Thailand
Alejandra Naftal
Executive Director and co-curator of the ESMA Memory Site Museum
Jasminko Halilovic
Founder and Director of the War Childhood Museum
On completion of this course participants will gain:
You can start the enrolment process by clicking the "enrol" button.
The course is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), which means we do not select participants on any basis. Rather, we welcome anyone who is interested in learning more about the topic to enrol and participate for free.
Our course is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), which means all components are open and totally free for anyone.
There are no registration or tuition fees. The certificate of participation is also free and offered to all those who successfully complete all the course requirements (see below for details on the certificate).
We want all participants in our courses to enjoy a great learning experience and we strive to always improve accessibility. Each week of the course includes one or two video lectures with accompanying transcripts and reading materials. The texts are in PDF format, work at low bandwidths, are printable and can be zoomed to the desired size. Some readings may include pages from accessible websites. This makes all of them accessible to those who use assistive technology software such as screen readers. Likewise, weekly discussions and module quizzes can be completed through our platform which is accessible, for example, to people who use speech input, keyboard accessible controls or text to speech tools. For more details please visit EdX Website Accessibility Policy.
The course is self-paced so participants can study in their own time. However, to enhance peer learning, interactive participation and self-assessment, weekly topics and discussions as well as module quizzes are proposed at set dates. In any case, they are all open until the end of the course to facilitate access and completion at any preferred time.
At the end of the course, if you have successfully passed 4 quizzes, you will receive a certificate confirming your participation.
If you plan to use your course for job applications, promotions, or school applications, you may prefer to have a certificate that is officially signed. It is also a great way to give yourself an incentive to complete the course and celebrate your success.
Yes. All our courses can be audited for free. If you audit a course, you can participate in any or all activities and quizzes and complete them, but you will not receive a certificate. Do you still want some proof of participation? You can simply print the progress chart that you will find in your course page.