Abstract

Memorials dedicated to victims of human rights violations have been extensively analyzed within transitional justice contexts. This article explores a type of memorial that has received limited theoretical conceptualization and little empirical attention: the “funerary memorial.” Located in cemeteries, these memorials occupy an intermediary space between life and death, which gives them an emotional component and endows them with distinctive features of great significance. Funerary memorials serve as spaces for negotiating religious, political, and civic elements, and act as sites of mobilization, conflict, and encounter. The presence of human remains within them unequivocally subverts the dictatorial logic of denial, concealment, and humiliation of the victims. In this study, we have selected six funerary memorials built to house the remains of historical leaders from Spain and Chile. These sites of tribute eloquently reflect the type of transition and the sensitivity of new democracies toward memory politics and transitional justice. Funerary memorials not only honor historical figures but also reflect contemporary societies’ commitment to truth, justice, and reparation in post-dictatorial contexts. © 2024 Universitat de Valencia, Faculty of Philology, Translation and Communication. All rights reserved.