Repression and Cultural Memory: Individual-Level Evidence from Argentina

• In Event: Legacies of Authoritarian Opposition and Repression

Abstract

How does repression impact the creation of collective memory? Findings on the post-transition political effects of repression are mixed: in some cases the trauma of victimization is demobilizing; other times it spurs political action. In this research note, I provide evidence that experiencing repression is associated with participation in one particular political arena -- memorialization efforts -- among prominent victims. To do so, I focus on the suppression of the film and television industry in Argentina, matching archival data on victimization with IMDb information on careers. Compared to similar artists, I show that those targeted by the government were more likely to produce movies and television that addressed authoritarianism post-democratization. These findings are not entirely due to ideology: results persist even when considering only artists deemed by the secret police to have similar ideological backgrounds. My findings demonstrate how repression shapes the production of collective memory.

Author

• Jane Esberg, University of Pennsylvania