Public History and Memory-Making in Post-Conflict Kenyan Societies: An Anthropological Perspective

Public history and memory-making are critical in post-conflict societies as they help communities construct a shared narrative of their past experiences. We employed ethnographic methods including participant observation, interviews, and focus group discussions among local stakeholders to understand their engagement with public history initiatives. The analysis reveals a significant interest from community members in engaging with public historians for historical education and commemoration events, particularly around the 20 years since the end of the civil war. Public historians play a crucial role in facilitating dialogue about past conflicts and fostering reconciliation through collaborative memory-making processes. Further research should focus on evaluating the long-term impact of these initiatives on community well-being and social integration. Post-conflict societies, Memory-making, Public history, Kenyan communities