Book review : Laura A. Macaluso (ed.), Monument culture : international perspectives on the future of monuments in a changing world

Abstract

Monuments are markers of identity, community, history, and place. Manifested in multiple forms with manifold meanings, monuments establish interpretations of the past and present whilst attempting to shape the future. Whether celebrating and commemorating, or claiming and constructing, monuments advance multiple agendas, ideologies, and regimes in different contexts. In Monument Culture: International Perspectives on the Future of Monuments in a Changing World, cultural studies scholar Laura A. Macaluso explores the global dimensions and diversity of monuments. The volume’s range of coverage and perspective is indeed impressive. The coverage describes disparate kinds of monuments, from traditional physical monuments made of stone and bronze to social media monuments made of bits and bytes in digital formats. [excerpt]