From Space of Memory to Memory of Space: A Conceptual Debate

How memory is conceptualized within and beyond the disciplinary boundaries throughout history determines the spatial references. At the same time, these spatial references provide the historical representations of particular social structures and accompanying worldviews. It is because memory is regarded as the foundation of both theoretical and empirical studies and diverse interventions into place (including political and aesthetical), it becomes necessary to consider the changing relation between memory and place which is transformed through the history of thought and reflected in the recent understandings within Memory Studies. In this framework, starting from the conceptualization of memory as based on a metaphoric topos (place) and following the line of thought through the conceptualization of memory as an analytical concept, the relation between memory and place is discussed also by means of considering the recent debates within the field of Memory Studies. "Right to the city" which is one of the significant concepts of Critical Urban Studies is related to the concept of Right to Memory which is introduced as based on the conceptual repertoire of Memory Studies. The aim of this article is to contribute to such conceptualization by following the transformation of related thought as based on major conceptual mainstays.