Andrew Jones (University of Southampton, UK)

Dave Underhill (University of Southampton, UK)

Hamish Forbes (University of Nottingham, UK)

Kathryn Soar (University of Nottingham, UK)

Mats Burström (Södertörn University College, Sweden)

The 1962 Missile Crisis is a best known episode of the Cold War and among the most fearful moments of 20th century history. In Cuba, which was in the epicentre of the conflict, it has however been something of a silenced history. The reason is that the crisis was solved through direct negotiations between the two superpowers without Cuban involvement and this was considered a humiliation by the Cuban leadership.

Siân Smith (University of Exeter, UK)

Gabriel Moshenska (UCL, UK)

This paper compares two phenomena: firstly the feeble, fragmented and dispersed official commemorations of the London Blitz; and secondly the ongoing discovery and removal of unexploded WWII bombs from the city. Using James Young’s concept of intrusive, disturbing and self-conscious ‘counter-monuments’ it explores the implications of considering bomb disposal events as a form of commemorative performance.

Zoe Crossland (Columbia University, USA)