A memory policy review: exploring perspectives on memory policies

Abstract

This paper examines the field of memory policy research within the broader study of memory politics. It asks how memory policies are conceptualized in existing scholarship and whether they are approached from a policy studies perspective. Previous research has addressed diverse memory-related practices but has failed to provide a consistent and policy-oriented conceptualization of memory policies. To address this gap, we integrate a scoping review with a systematic literature review structured through the PRISMA approach. We analyze peer-reviewed articles to map trends, assess conceptual uses, and reconstruct the notion of memory policies by examining how scholars define and evaluate them across different empirical contexts. Our findings demonstrate the need for a clearer, policy-focused framework to better understand the dynamics and implications of memory policies.