March 3, 2026

Colonial memories and moral change. Interactions between collective representations of the colonial past and discourses of morality in Belgium (1960-2020)

Key Points

Collective memories of the colonial past have significantly shifted over the past sixty years, changing moral perspectives.
The analysis reveals a deep connection between narrative practices and broader sociohistorical developments.
Using discourse analysis, the study explores representations in Belgian newspapers and history textbooks across decades.
Findings underscore the importance of understanding how collective memories and morality influence each other over time.

Abstract

This article examines how collective memories of the Belgian colonisation of the Congo have shifted between 1960 and 2020 in relation to changing moral discourses. Drawing on a long-term discourse analysis of Belgian newspapers and history textbooks, shared representations of the colonial past are traced over the course of sixty years. By linking changes in these narrative practices to broader sociohistorical developments, the article shows how collective memories and discourses of morality co-evolve, thus reshaping understandings of the past across time.

Colonial memories and moral change. Interactions between collective representations of the colonial past and discourses of morality in Belgium (1960-2020)

Key Points

Abstract

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