We were all there

Remembering America in the anniversary coverage of Hurricane Katrina

Bibliographic Data

ID12905271
AuthorsSue Robinson (0000-0002-8435-2753, University of Wisconsin–Madison, corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume2
Issue2
Pages235-253
Publication date2009-04-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMemory Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1750-6980 • E-ISSN: 1750-6999
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1750698008102054
OpenAlexW2084399868
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited27

The study of Hurricane Katrina's anniversary coverage in a dozen national and local mainstream outlets and six books explored whether the journalism followed the `typical' commemoration patterns that press historians have described. Nationally, the press demonized New Orleans as an example of what the country needed to avoid — politically, economically, structurally, morally. Locally, the press did not set agendas, but rather focused on the importance of ritual in recreating a lost community. Instead of creating a mnemonic quagmire, these seemingly disparate narratives sought to restore faith in American redemption, collectively, at a time of national unrest. Such research exemplifies the tension between dominant institutions of the press, government and the Church, how authority is asserted, and the process by which all of this plays out in the news media, forming collective memory according to national ideals and local interests

Collective memory · Faith · Geography · Government (linguistics · Hurricane katrina · Journalism · Mainstream · Media studies · Narrative · Natural disaster · News media · Newspaper · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Unrest · History · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Rhetoric and Communication Studies

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