Abstract

Memory is a broad and interdisciplinary field: as an object of sociological inquiry, it may be divided into three major areas: a) the social dimension of individual memory; b) collective memories; c) the social history of memory. Our essay deals with these three areas of inquiry giving account of some major researches, theoretical frameworks, debates and open problems. It aims to show how the study of memory is a primary concern in social theory, both because of the fundamental importance of time in social processes, and because of the relevance of the subjects' views about the past in shaping social identities.