| |
| author |
Eleanor Poethke
| | title |
Summer Camp and Cultural Memory: The intersection of memory and physical space at Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center
| | abstract |
This thesis will explore the relationship between physical space and memory at summer
camp by specifically looking at Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center in Port Murray, New
Jersey. Memory is created with and tied to physical space through human experience. Therefore,
a single space can hold various cultural memories. In the formulation of a historical narrative,
certain groups and ideas will be privileged above others. To situate this conversation in a
theoretical framework, the thesis will discuss and define various concepts and theories that have
informed the research. These concepts are primarily based in dialogues concerning sites of
memory, as well as interpretive and phenomenological anthropology. Discussions include,
personal experience curating an exhibit to showcase the history of Cross Roads during the
summer of 2023, and delving into the numerous aspects that combine to create the unique
environment experienced at summer camps in the United States. This distinct culture is tied to a
history in the United States of the appropriation of Native American practices. The pattern of
appropriative behavior in Cross Roads' history is not an isolated phenomenon, but rather
indicative of a larger culture of marginalization in the United States. Furthermore, research
concerning land-based cultural memory connects to ongoing discussions in the United States
regarding the rights and experiences of Native Americans. Physical space can encourage and
facilitate memory encounters, and that this relationship is a human construction with far-reaching
consequences.
| | school |
The College of Liberal Arts, Drew University
| | degree |
B.A. (2024)
|
| advisor |
Maria Masucci
|
| full text | EPoethke.pdf |
| |
