Images, Memory, Remembrances Through the Lens of Restorative Justice

By Mariely Rivera-Hernández

Photographs, videos, and written communications all influence the way an individual retains or describes images from their past. However, the concepts of remembrance and memory are not the same. According to Walter Benjamin’s work, while a memory calls to mind a past event, a remembrance evokes a person’s own experience of that event. A memory entails a cerebral connection that allows an individual to retain the past; a remembrance brings forth a past image—with all its implications—to the present.

As such, images and photographs have an exponential effect through social media and digital platforms, creating a sort of mental record. In this manner, viral actions, supported by the use of electronic devices such as cell phones, become extremely powerful. While an image can generate a good feeling, a violent image will not necessarily elicit a positive reaction. Both instances will produce remembrances and memories. Therefore, taking into account these concepts, what do images have to do with restorative justice? While remembrance and memory are, in fact, related, they do not refer to the same thing. However, both will evoke the experience of a past event or situation which, for the purpose of this article, is tied to justice.

Restorative justice circles are grounded in a time-honored, ancestral practice.

Restorative justice can be defined as an approach to justice that aims to repair harm through social ties between citizens. A work opportunity allowed us to connect with Jane Nicholson, founder of Moments that Survive. The educator, who is based in Chicago, has spent decades teaching about restorative justice in order to generate community links that center on this perspective. Learning with Jane through the creation of restorative justice circles in community has been vital to connect non-profit organizations, such as Waves Ahead, the Puerto Rico Cultural Center, and ChangeMaker Foundation, with other initiatives, volunteers, and individuals.

There are damages imprinted on a person’s memory, which are reinforced by remembrances of the experienced pain. A retributive justice system is designed to quantify the harm done to a victim in order to determine what punishment the offender should receive. However, adopting a restorative justice approach would ensure a comprehensive reparation process. This method centers on the needs of the person who suffered the harm and gives the offender the space and conditions to repair that harm. Today, it is important to act according to restorative justice practices since remembrances are further etched into an individual’s mind when the harm results in photographs, images, audios, or audiovisuals on social media and digital platforms. Here lies the connection between images and restorative justice.

Education, Community, and History

Everyone has the right to restorative justice.

Restorative justice circles have a millenary history, born out of ceremonial practices and traditions that have taken place in community reunions among different tribes. Garrett & Tlanusta (2002) give examples from several Native American groups, such as the Cherokee, Catawba, Seneca, and Seminole. These tribes’ roots come from other parts of the world, including Oceania, Europe, and Africa, but, as time went on, they expanded to the Americas.

Past images and artistic interpretations of paintings are evidence of the historical aspect of these circles. Through the image, a great universal family is depicted, one that has exercised restorative justice circles to establish alternative practices to a retributive system. The proposal is to practice justice restoratively in order to eradicate micro-violence and other types of violence, whether perceptible or imperceptible, as well as to unlearn and relearn to prioritize victims. The way to do it is by working in places where violence is silent and where the dignity of a person or group is undermined.

Social Actors and Groups at Present

The most vulnerable groups are, certainly, those who have lost a loved one—a friend, family member, or colleague—and who wish to be free of that pain. This loss bears an even bigger weight if it concerns someone from the LGBTQ+ community, someone of African descent, a woman, a person with disabilities or a person with limited financial resources. However, the legacy of our ancestors and of past generations has been passed down and, today, these inherited circles are practiced by diverse groups within communities. Among these groups, some are social community support organizations advocating against violence, while others engage in the practice as part of independent community activities, for religious reasons, or as sociopolitical exercises. It should be noted that, in today’s age, new images about restorative justice circles are culturally mediated by the design of commemorative posters, photographs, videos, or advertisements. The common denominator is the visibility of an educational activity in which the feelings and emotions shared in a gathering are respected and kept confidential. Now, more than ever, it is necessary to look inward and toward restorative justice, emphasizing on images and their circulation.

The author is currently finishing her doctoral thesis on the political economy of communications, cultural consumption, mediatization, and virtual communities.