Popular memory at Ground Zero: A heterotopology of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum

ABSTRACT

This article adopts a heterotopological approach to the spatial organization of the National September 11 Memorial and Memorial Museum. We argue that although numerous organizational stakeholders, such as the families of 9/11 victims, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the New York Police Department, and the Port Authorities, had monolithic propositions about how to commemorate 9/11, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum ended up transforming into a heterotopic space marked by contestations, juxtapositions, and contradictions. Although many wanted to simply tell a unified tale about heroism and resilience, the social constructions of Ground Zero space have resisted monolithic historical accounts of remembrance despite the influential forces of utopian visions. This analysis contributes to the study of spatial and mnemonic representations by demonstrating the uses of heterotopology as a heuristic tool for unpacking polysemic and polyvalent spaces of commemoration that may otherwise appear consensual and monoglossic.