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Remembering the Falklands War pp 47–76Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Multiple Identities, Subjectivity and Narrative Sense-Giving

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies ((PMMS))

Abstract

I start this book’s empirical journey with the British military’s ‘story’ for a number of reasons. The first is that it was previous research with the British military that brought to my attention the importance of the media coverage of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, particularly in terms of how it had potential to destabilise and de-legitimate wider political and military aims but also normative accepted stories of the Falklands. In that sense, because the military data was the starting point of the research it seems appropriate to begin my empirical analysis with this data. The second reason however is that what emerged from the interviews I conducted with the military was in fact more revealing of the complexities involved in their allegiance to, and performance of conflicting and contested identities and how these intersect with a media remembering. These themes subsequently re-emerged with other participants (the BBC and Falkland Islanders) especially with regards to how identity and agency is negotiated in and through a public and private remembering in and with media. What was especially notable in this regard was that all participants, including the military, used similar sites of significance as a means through which to articulate these negotiations, especially and in particular the (often traumatised) military veteran. The military data therefore offers a good starting point to introduce these sites of significance, not least because of their resonance with other contemporary debates that are not Falklands specific.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Media and Film, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Sarah Maltby

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  1. Sarah Maltby
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Maltby, S. (2016). Multiple Identities, Subjectivity and Narrative Sense-Giving. In: Remembering the Falklands War. Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55660-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55660-8_3

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-55659-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55660-8

  • eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)

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