The fermentative in the construction of memory: Towards a defatalization through philosophical reflection

Abstract

The construction of memory, as manifested in the intersection of the state, civil society, and educational spaces, represents a sensitive node of tension and dispute in the post-dictatorial Latin American context. This article proposes to consider it from the notion of "fermentative action," conceived as its axis. This approach seeks to de-fatalize historical facts through philosophical dialogue, promote reparation through community narratives and oral traditions, and conceive memory as a praxis of resistance. It will explore how the truth, collectively recognized, is fundamental to the reparation of those who suffered from the civil-military conflict. The article also examines counter-memory, its possibilities for inscription, and the associated risks, such as state impunity that perpetuates forgetting and protects the status quo. Finally, the vindictive nature of the pillars "memory, truth, justice and never again state terrorism" is highlighted, analyzing the positions of various Latin American organizations, with a self-examination of our positioning in the context of the pandemic and post-pandemic.