A Possession Forever: A Guide to Using Commemorative Memorials and Monuments in the Classroom

Reviewed by Maura Hametz, Professor History, James Madison University on 11/17/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text seems valuable as an introductory work to engage the reader interested in knowing more about how to see and interpret monuments and monument culture. It offers a “taste” rather than a comprehensive view of the subject matter. Questions and exercises are useful pedagogical tools.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content appears accurate in areas with which I am familiar. The embedded materials are well-vetted for accuracy and expertise. Sections for further reading refer to seminal and staple works in the field. Most are in a rather traditional vein appropriate to a general rather than specialized audience, likely reflecting the emphasis on the Australian school curriculum.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The book seems quite basic and so much will remain relevant. It can easily be revised if sections become obsolete or other events prompt further reflection and updating of examples. The use of video clips and content not directly on the site broadens appeal and expertise, but some links are already outdated. For example, at least one video in the Holocaust section is no longer available. Attention is given to more contemporary perspectives and diversity in discussions of monuments, but overall the approach is somewhat dated and centered on traditional gendered and “mainstream” or dominant approaches.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clearly written and relatively free of jargon. It employs pedagogical jargon in the final section, but as that is directed to teachers, it appears appropriate. The text is accessible and perhaps even pitched a bit “low” for an audience of educators.

Consistency rating: 4

The purpose and aim of each chapter are clearly outlined, and the examples are abundant. Some of the material appears repetitive (for example, the videos on the Monument to the Murdered Jews in Berlin used in separate chapters overlap in content and feel). The two listings of symbolism and symbolic meanings are not consistent, perhaps reflecting the differing national perspectives of the authors’ work, but this does seem a bit confusing and imprecise. A clearer, consistent listing of symbols and their meanings would be helpful to those seeking to use the book for practical work. From the perspective of the historian, some rationale or discussion of the method of choosing the monuments used as examples might have enhanced the presentation.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is well-designed to be mined selectively for different purposes or uses. The more general sections at the beginning are readily translatable in an international context. The curriculum sections have narrower appeal.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The flow of the text from international to national and local is clear. The text transitions from a broad overview to specific means of interpretation and then to local application.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is clear. Navigation was smooth. Clarity of images and embedded materials was excellent.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The language of the text appears free of grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The text uses inclusive examples and acknowledges the indigenous peoples of Australia. The historiography is less inclusive. The authors discuss aspects of monuments and cultural diversity (for example the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Holocaust Memorial), but the text heavily favors traditional white Anglo-Saxon and male monuments and narratives. The text promises an emphasis on social justice, but the activist approach does not seem to follow through in the chapters.

Comments

There are sections that are useful to mine. The literature cited is quite helpful. The book overall seems most appropriate for educators in Australian middle and high schools.

Reviewed by Ingo Heidbrink, Professor of History, Old Dominion University on 6/12/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text provides a solid overview on the discussion of monuments and memorials in the wider contemporary Anglo-American context, but is neither providing a robust history of monuments and memorials nor discussing different approaches to monuments and memorials in other cultures. While it is absolutely ok, to focus a textbook on one specific culture of monuments and memorials, it would have been helpful if this limitation would be already reflected in the title of the textbook, in particular as the two of the three main sections of the book are narrowed down even farther by focusing on monuments and memorials in Australia.
There is no effective index and the reviewer is at least surprised that there is a whole textbook on memorials and monuments in which the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is hardly been mentioned.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate, seems to be error-free and unbiased. Of course, whenever discussing the topic of monuments and memorials and especially their societal function, there is a perspective of the author when they are discussing this societal function. Nevertheless as the book textbook includes not only the discussion on monuments and memorials but also on counter memorials and monuments, this perspective is presented in a multifaceted way.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

With monuments and memorials being designed to be built for ever, the examples in the textbook are kind of timeless and will remain relevant for the discussion for the foreseeable future. If needed, additional examples of monuments and memorials can easily be added at any time to keep the textbook current. As the text is directly written to be used in the Australian classroom, there is a certain issue of the text becoming outdated with the next change of the curriculum, but as the topics discussed are highly relevant outside this curriculum too, the close connection to the curriculum is no issue in itself. What seems to be more problematic in terms of information becoming outdated is the highly detailed hands-on section dedicated to the use of certain web-pages and internet based data-bases. As soon as these web-pages or data-bases might change their front-end / user-interface, these sections of the book will become useless unless immediately updated.

Clarity rating: 5

The text of the book is written in language and style that is appropriate for the subject

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent in terminology and use of intellectual and administrative frameworks

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is divided in three main sections that are each divided into several logical organized sub-sections. Due to the focus of section B and C on a Australian perspective and curriculum, this division allows for readers to whom the Australian context is not relevant, to limit readings, assignments etc. just to section A.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The structure of the textbook is logical beginning with a general theoretical overview and then moving forward via the Australian example to the specific application of monuments and memorials in the classroom.

Interface rating: 5

The reviewer did not experience any major interface issues while accessing the textbook on a variety of platforms and browsers.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

As far as the reviewer as a non-native English speaker can identify, there are no major issues with language, style, grammar etc.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text has a high cultural relevance as the issue of commemorative memorials and monuments is a discussion at the center of cultural sensitivity. In particular it needs to be highlighted that the book is not limiting itself to the European-Australian perspective but argues in particular that Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders’ perspectives have been subject to a ‘cult of disremembering’ for way too long. Consequently, the book aims to change this situation by integrating their unique perspectives into the discussion on memorials and monuments.

Comments

Altogether 'A Possession Forever' is a most useable textbook for whatsoever class that deal with wartime memorials etc. regardless if in the Australian context or wherever else. Nevertheless, with the book being written so closely to the Australian curriculum, the utility of the book outside Australia will be much more limited than within Australia. As this is an Open Textbook it might be probably recommended to use this textbook outside the Australian context not as a sole textbook for a class but as an additional textbook.