It Was Addressed in a Meeting on the Occasion of Research Week

Memory writing and Research in Memories

Maryam Rajabi
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2017-12-19

According to Iranian Oral History Website, expert and research meeting of "Memory Writing and Research in Memories" was held on the occasion of research week and art of Islamic Revolution in Salman Harati Hall of Hozeh Honari on December 10, 2017. At this meeting, Hojjatoleslam Saeed Fakhrzadeh, Mohammad Ghasemipour and Javad Kamvar Bakhshayesh attended and spoke.

At the beginning Kamvar Bakhshayesh stated, "purpose of this meeting is a number of important topics that in general are related to problemology of research in field of culture and art, neglected angles in these two research fields, and that can art of Islamic Revolution be raised as a phenomenon that make a stream? But this professional forum is about memory writing and mostly research in memory. Hozeh Honari also as one of founders and pioneers in field of memory writing has been promoting memory writing for many years by producing successful works on Islamic Revolution and Holy Defense.

In a definition, research is a systematic move to find out unknown. Now knowledge is one of main pillars of progress and transcendence of any society which is subjected to doing various researches. Research in our society has great importance. In various fields of human sciences that we follow professionally, wherever research has presented, it was a successful area. Through research we can expand our human knowledge and our native knowledge, develop boundaries of knowledge, and Inshallah, one day we would be able to globalize literature of the holy defense through these deep and extensive researches that are established and carried out."

Memory as an easy but difficult category
Then Kamvar asked Fakhrzadeh, officer of Oral History Unit of Office for Islamic Revolutionary Library about nature of memory and function of research in field of memory writing, and he replied, "Memory is a category that is easy but difficult; that is, when we call memory, It's a very simple thing, but in operation and application, it has a very wide scope and requires a lot of research. What is memory and what do we mean by memory? Is memory what is spoken and written? If people said and wrote fake things, if they interpolate what they have in their minds, do we again call it memory? If we separate and do not consider what has been narrated as memory, but call it "constructed", how do we differentiate these? How do we approach realities? We are not in minds of people to know if their words come from reality or not?

Another very important category is that what is essentially type of memory, and what do we mean by memory? What is scope of these memories? This is a research topic itself, and it's a long debate that I just enumerate. In terms of format, we have a number of written and oral memories; is there a difference between these? If so, in what areas? What are examples of written memoirs? Do we say report writing of a scene by correspondent or reporter memory? Are memories merely things people have seen and heard with their eyes and ears? Are they just memories? These are issues that need to be addressed, and they themselves have a wide range. In human sciences, is place of memory defined in literature, history or social sciences? Are memories that are regarded in literature are different from that of history? What are characteristics of a memory that we use in history and what should be characteristics of memory of literature? Memory is also discussed in popular culture. Basically, what do our people see memory? How do memories affect popular culture and public issues? How is range of these influences? And on the other hand, are human memories influenced by popular culture? These are subjects should be investigated, that is, a review of works that have been gathered in field of memory. More than 10,000 books have been published and a wealth of information has been gathered; essentially, in field of literature, it has created a new genre; examination of this history and this volume, in terms of quantity, quality and frequency of the subject, has discussions that need to be addressed in research. These are various branches of memory subject that we should enter them with research tools and distinguished them."

Three steps to research
Kamvar continued, "Research is a step-by-step process that aims at collecting and analyzing information and its main goal is increasing perception. If we want to examine process of research in field of memory writing, we must say it is a step-by-step move on finding a subject and examining various dimensions of the subject that has a definition itself in research; in fact, this research process is defined in three steps. The first step is to ask a question; when we want to get from an unknown to a known, we advance with a question. The second step is to examine background and prior knowledge of this subject and question; seeing what others have done before us and what scientific and research information has been gathered in this regard. (One way for examining our scientific status and how we are scientifically regarded in the world, is amount of referrals given to our articles. In fact, I want to say place of research in the world that the more references we receive from our sources and articles, the higher our academic rank would be in the world) The third step is collecting data to get the answer. The main purpose of a researcher is the same third step; in fact, the first and second steps are a basis for the third step.

In ​​ memory writing, what can be posed as a question is how to find a subject. One of the most important points in memory writing is to find a subject that takes into account hidden dimensions of history of the revolution and Holy Defense; this subject must have some characteristics. My question from Mr. Ghasemipour is that how we can define subject finding in memory writing and which subjects can be considered in terms of their function, with the approach that nowadays which subjects can be neglected angles in field of historiography of Islamic Revolution and the holy defense in memory writing?"

Subject finding in memory writing
Mohammad Ghasemipour, director of the Office for Resistance Studies and Culture of Affairs of Provinces of Hozeh Honari answered Kamvar, "In memory writing, I have some problems with the word "Subject"; both on pronunciation of character of "J", and that memory writing and memory researching is a human matter that we focus on mind and remembrance of a human being, and the subject is one of those words whose semantic load has been dispossessed; as much as we do not like the word "admonition" and we guard against saying that "I want to admonish you a point", but when you hear this, "I want to remind you a point" our mind climate changes. I think the term "subject (in its Persian use that is "Mozou موضوع")" is much less fringe than "subject", and it is better if we don't look at the problem based on subject, and see it somehow based on belief, intrinsic and heartily. Of course, I say this from perspective of the researcher. I feel sometimes there are many negligence in selecting the subject; that is, those research backgrounds that requires reflection, hesitation, and needed consideration and should be based on observation and study, does not happen, and the path that Mr. Kamvar explained for bases and induction of work, are quite true in choosing the topic and field of memories.

We have seen people without a study and historical information about a period of time and without knowing a place and where a memory has taken place, select a subject. Sometimes motives in choosing a subject are not original and purposeful motives; transient impulses related to common human issues and sometimes contests. For selecting a topic, one must adhere to a moral basis. We must move toward selecting the subject with some cares and precautions, and proceed the way with the same method which is necessary for research, calculated, step-by-step and precise. I have seen around many inexpert or not considered subject that are on the agenda, and they are doing collecting and recording; I feel teams and people who work in field of memory writing, those who are responsible for recording and collecting memories should be taught both ethical foundations, and to be guided and helped in way of selecting, and understand the necessary path to finalization and definitive selection of the subject. My finding and point of view is that in human affairs, considerations must be precise and humane. The most successful memory research, collections, recordings and memoirs that have taken place in our country over the last two or three decades are based on some sympathy, anecdotal, and companion between memory teller and a researcher who record the work. It means strong interviewers and memory writers and strong memory writing products that we've seen in the past two or three decades are result of an intimacy and companion between memory researcher and owner of memory. Where a work has been contractual and ordered, it's usually cannot be found those desirable coordinates and attributes. I feel that it is necessary to investigate as much as possible a kind of conduct and a kind of individual method for memory research and recording memories as far as possible, and successful people of this field come and tell their experiences. How to build confidence, overcome impossibilities, and how to communicate and communicational skills to do this, should come from our culture, beliefs and views. Mostly, method and available tools in our community are in this area, are translated and derived from Western sources, and rubrics which are expressed in trainings are very general and sometimes its field feedback has not been measured. We, for example, argue some topics following communication skills, but these skills have not been tested as to see how successful or effective it is in dealing with our work of memory getting."

Three methods
Then Kamvar stated: "one kind of classification in research methods is applied and basic research. We have to go toward basic research, because the researches expand more boundaries of knowledge. An applied research is used for temporary and everyday topics, but what is my concern in field of memory writing is that which method should be taken during writing a memory based on principles and methods of research? We have descriptive, descriptive-analytical, and analytical research methods. The descriptive-analytical research method addresses "how" alongside "why" that in my opinion addressing "why" is very important in field of research, especially in memory writing. For the purpose that our memory must be a standard one that allows future research on our productive text, it should have a very rich literature review. If we point out in process of research and producing text of our memory to address "how" alongside "why", we have conducted descriptive-analytical and descriptive-research research methods. This process requires deep and extensive research before starting an interview; that is, we are faced with research in process of producing memory, at different stages, and research isn't avoidable. The first step is to find the subject and being knowledgeable the interviewer on research about dimensions and angles of the subject."

Memory and literature
Kamvar asked Fakhrzadeh what can be role of research in process of memory writing before starting interview, and how much research can be effective in domination of the interviewer or editor on the topic and his/her confrontation with the narrator? Fakhrzadeh replied: "We must first accept a principle and that is whether it is necessary the memories to be the same facts that have happened? Or being close to reality? Or it doesn't need fact checking and be realistic and there can be some imagination too? Our most current approach on memory is in field of literature, and since we see memory from perspective of literature, the doubt may be created in minds of people that like story and poem, we are allowed to use in memory mental creativities that are in fact a value matter in literature? Mental creativities means a story writer create something that does not exist, and of course, deliver a message to the posterity which is very valuable. It is art of a writer that transmits to future in a word and explicitly a message that a cultural person wants to transfer to future and it cannot be transmitted; such as faith, courage and commitment, which he/she narrates them in form of a story, and it appeals to the audience. The story writer creates a mental story and is so beautiful the creature that it is believable and the audience accepts it and the author's message is transmitted. This art is valuable, and we do not oppose creation of arts in religion, and it is allowed to use imagination in fiction and story. But is imagination allowed to enter memory now that memory is also part of literature? If we do not believe this and say that even if memories are used in field of literature, one should not allow imagination to be entered in literature of Sacred Defense and the revolution that is an important and valuable subject, then the issue of research in relation to verification and accuracy is raised.

If one who wants to collect memories of a person is not knowledgeable about the subject expressed by the memory owner, he/she may simply neglect issues and not to see facts and don't adjust them; for example, in type of using weapons that warriors of those days joked and said that we targeted the enemy pistol and set it in barrage! At least pistol doesn't have barrage. This is the most obvious counter-fact that due to not being familiar, the audience believes it. When issues and events of the war become more complex, that person must have the least expertise in knowing type of movement and the enemy. The vast majority of made and presented films in our cinema are not real; in type of attack on the enemy, its behavior, the enemy's attack on us, and its type of defense. These are allowed to be appeared in cinema space, but memories should not allow to make these mistakes. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the subject. When the subject is defined, available resources in our society such as published books and experts should be used. For example, a friend who is strong in field of memory writing had started memoirs of doctors in the war. When the book was finished, we went to the doctor who had participated in the war, the doctor said it is a very good book, but there is nothing about medical memories. What was the reason? It was for that the interviewee wasn't skillful in medical subjects so that enter deeper medical questions with his specialized questions, and so the debate would be different from general memories. So here we need to find books, resources, and experts of that area to know details, dimensions, and depth of work prior to addressing it. The essential thing is that both those who want to enter the work of memory writing understand importance of the subject, and relevant organizations know that when they are paying for doing something, preliminary research should be done to provide base for interview. If this happens, we will enter deeper, more serious and specialized layers and get good results too; because when experiences and information are gathered they can be used in next researches as experience and theory, and then as a new science and knowledge."

Then Kamvar continued: "difference of memory with history and literature is an extensive discussion, and I believe that memory is an independent genre that employs both literature and history to shape its own nature. Regarding topic of the meeting, we will look at a dimension of memory, and that is research in memory which relates to issue of documentation and historiography. With this approach, I ask Mr. Ghasemipour to address status of documentation in memory. Because in various book memories which we produce, some works pay attention much to citing in narrative, and some pay less. I want him to point out whether we have any standard, component, or attribute on documentary writing in field of memory writing or not?"

In this section, Abbas Raissi Bidgoli stated: "We still have warriors of the holy defense who can express their own and friends memories clearly. Our films are far from true realities of the sacred defense, and this is where issue of imagination and fact checking is raised. Our sacred defense is so rich that it requires no imagination."

Kamvar remarked too: "The point you are referring is the main topic of the meeting, and in this regard the more we explore in various historical subjects and consider research more serious, the works that are published in our literature, whether films or plays, and other works in different genres can be more improved. Content is also so rich that it does not require imagination. Our serious discussion is that how we can intervene citation in production memory so systematic and strong that memories be formed based on a strong research and later become a raw material for producing superior works include films, serials and different television programs to plays."

Biographical Evaluation (Science of Narration) and Documentation
Ghasemipour replied the question, "In Mr. Raissi speeches there was a reference to influence of cinema on memory writing. The cinema has been very effective as a narrative cinema on memory writing process, and somewhere you can really see trace of cinema in some of memories. There are many disorders in the definitions. For example, a work such as "Da" has been identified in field of memory. I have seen several academic dissertations of reputable universities titled "Review of Novel of Da". They have supervisor and two advisors, and have taken good grades too, but all the work has been criticized and reviewed as a novel. At the other hand, in many cases, researcher, memory receiver or memory researcher does not know relationship between history and memory.

There is no doubt on citation, even in the previous question that Hajj Agha Fakhrzadeh answered, we must spend a considerable part of our time and financial basis for elementary research and study, and before we are faced with owner of memory, we have to have good and accurate information about the subject, depth of memories, and scope and time data of the narrator. Here we can get help from documentary cinema. It is usual in documentary cinema that say spend 80% of your production budget for research before making it, and if you do research well and know infrastructures and analyze the subject for yourself, you can create a good work with the remaining 20%. We have, in any case, a narrator in memory, and biography evaluation happens. Biography evaluation should occur before, during and after work of receiving memory. We want to create a document. Memory is not an evident issue, and it is virtually entering into inner window of people, and humans are supposed to tell on their inside that we do not know what is in it. Claims and words have been expressed and there are evidences, but practically it is an online and momentary research that we alongside the narrator go into its internal body.

That mostly every person balance his memories with externals, constantly present external reports, and refers to things that we have read in books or in the press, its result is that we don't have a precise biography evaluation and do not have know-how of entering inside memory owner so we can take from depths of his minds and remembrance, those his mental residuals and engraved. This has happened in many instances. Anyway, words have a narrator, and we have certainly heard usual interpretation of "العهده علی ‌الراوی (it means narrator is responsible)". The main responsibility of the subject is with the narrator; but in receiving memory, a full measure that we are assured about accuracy of what is said, roots in ability, knowledge and pre-research of memory receiver, and he is a decisive factor. Citation has a strong position in memory writing, and, in any case, a significant part of our past history has recorded based on observation of narrators. Saadi, after 40 years of touring the world, writes Golestan; here, because we are faced with a constructive and truthful person, nobody doubt that when Saadi says in a story that he was in Kish he would misstate instead the island with Kharg Island or another one. He specifies coordinates of time and place. I feel that if notable and knowledgeable memory receivers sit in front of narrators and our narrators to be placed in a rigorous and scholarly conversation, and spend a precise process to record memories, we can hope that the collected memoirs find a good citation position, and to be used as document in scientific and research resources. It is not a difficult task for contemporary events and what has happened within Islamic Revolution and subsequent years.

Despite the fact that we see some of counterfactual narratives and definitions that have entered our contemporary history, and in front of our eyes, these narratives were published in books we can prevent them with accurate study and research. One example that enthusiasts can see after a search is that most of those who come to state memory from beginning of the imposed war, cite for year of 1980 that several days before starting the war, Saddam stood in front of television cameras, tore contract of 1975 and the war was also started on September 22. If you ask them where did you see this? When was it? In Which TV channel? Often, those people have nothing to say, because no channel of television in Iran showed such a picture in 1980. On the other hand, there were no satellite facilities and so on. One example that entered in field of our memory writing and is incorrect despite its arrangements is the subject. After fall of Saddam, our IRIB search team went to find the film in Iraqi Television Archive but there was no film. In book of "I am alive", the narrator narrates early moments of his captivity, which was October 1980. They had been just seized and closed their hands and they waited for the car to come and take them. He wrote that I told Dr. Bigdeli, according to the film that I saw in Abadan and in Basra TV too, when Saddam was tearing the treat, I knew that the war was blazing; while this film had never been broadcast. In the past few years, a domestic documentary filmmaker in a closed view showed a hand that tears a piece of paper and attached that hand to full body image of Saddam Hussein. Many have seen this documentary and have thought Saddam is doing this. 1975 Algerian Agreement is now in Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On that day, Saddam made a tirade and shook his hand constantly, but narrative of tearing the agreement is completely wrong. Memory receivers and memory tellers had low historical abilities, and haven't have a good grasp of media and visual resources, or have not followed accuracy of those word in fact checking stage. The domestic example of this issue was message of Imam in the day after beginning of the war. I talked with a group of people, and they all said that we saw that Imam came and humiliated the enemy and said that a crazy came and threw a stone and went. This is a message which was displaced on the Iran Radio on September 23, 1980, and there is no picture for it, but after passing of time, people have assumed the message in their minds. Maybe those people do not want to tell counterfact, but I see a lot of these thoughts that have been stayed in minds during time. A well-known example that makes it hard in terms of citation is that on July 18, 1988 accepting Resolution 598 was announced at 2:00 p.m. in national news. This news was broadcast on the fronts and had many reactions. Two days later, the news of 2:00 p.m. broadcast the message of Imam and phrase of "Drinking the Cup of Poison" that was more for comforting the fighters that analyzing and grasping the subject on the fronts was difficult for them. If today you talk with dear freedmen who were informed through media restrictions of captivity, they state the two events in a compressed narrative that at noon of the day newscast announced the news and we did not know what to do and the message of Imam was water on our fire; They cannot say that 48 hours and that two days interval. In fact, the distance has been disappeared and they feel that this happened in one day. We have a lot of recordings or implemented words and even a lot of fighters who were on the front say this and there was no distance for them too, but for historians, it has been recorded by documents that the first event happened at 2:00 p.m. on July 18 and the second event took place at 2:00 p.m. on July 20. The newspapers are also a document for this."

Pathology of Citation
Kamvar also said: "Mr. Mohsen Motlagh had encountered a series of interviews during compilation of biography of martyr Mohammad Hussein Nayyeri, one of our overseas fighters, that showed Mr. Nayyeri is buried in Afghanistan in a burial ground like Behesht-e Zahra, and it was narrated by all his companions who were in Afghanistan with him and returned to Iran. The book had passed its compilation process and was in process of publishing, and if it was published, an unknown would remain unknown. At the same time some documentary filmmakers went to Afghanistan and built a very strong cited work about life of martyr Nayyeri. It was revealed there based on narration of many of his comrades who were Afghan that Taliban poured oil on Nayyeri in top of a mountain and burned and buried him there too. By saying this I want to show position of citation and pathology of citation in field of memory writing. Whatever citation, research and literature review of our research in field of memory be rich and strong, naturally, prevent occurrence of historical mistakes in memory books. The fact is that when memory writing is raised in view of narrator, there are a number of major pests in it; one of those pests is central "I" of narrator. Since narrator is in a position that question is asked him and he in "I" position ("I and self" not in bad sense), in which audience is actually himself, became central "I" and narrator of memories, and this being central "I" cause researcher to make a mistake and have problem in process of collective memories of people. Some also because of their self-respect hurt history and do not like to use people names in their narratives, and real role of people in memories of these narratives remains unclear and covered, and among many published books, an unknown is added on unknown parts of an event."

Seen and unseen of memories
Kamvar asked Fakhrzadeh, about pathology of memory works in terms of research, and he replied: "Before addressing pathology, I think about 12,000 books on Sacred Defense and seven or eight thousand ones on the revolution have been released, and it would definitely be said that tendency of 70 to 80 percent of them is memory. In the same number of the published book, we have to examine whether we really have addressed all aspects of the sacred defense and Islamic Revolution? Is not something missing? Have not been any parts ignored? Answer to these questions comes from research. When we have worked well on a part or topic such as Sacred Defense memories, we have gotten answer too. For example, we have published a book on role and characteristics of warriors in the war that is more than 80 percent of our published memories, and there is other information like this in other topics. I think we have only superficial statistics and have not yet entered content of books, but the same number of published books affects society. When we ask people how do you see role of the fighters? We see that most people have a positive and ideal role for the combatants and they have no suspicion about their faithfulness, sacrifice, and forgiveness of the combatants. Why they don't have any suspicion? Because the same number of published memories has created this belief in society.

About field of memoirs of the revolution, in a meeting that we met the Supreme Leader, he said that in published books, you have much and well addressed torture in the Pahlavi regime. Perhaps more than 70 percent of Revolution memories are about torture. The frequency has persuaded all people about being torture in Pahlavi regime. Supreme Leader remarked that you worked as much well that outside of the country, agents of SAVAK (I found out that he meant Parviz Sabeti) came out of their hideout. We received news that Parviz Sabeti collaborates with Mossad, but as much as books were published about issue of torture that he was in question not only in our community, but also in abroad, and he was forced to come out of his hideout and reveal himself and publish book of "Dar Damgahe Hadese" in response to stream making of memories. My question is that have we created this frequency in other parts? Are we going to write memory and collect memory based on plan and thought? Are we advancing based on needs of society and our goals and plans? We go forward heartily and like a congregation, this way is worth in its turn, but it's better to be planned. I am not saying that we don't talk about torture in Pahlavi regime and role of warriors in the sacred defense, but why do not we make more works on management in war? Books that deal with management in the war are very rare. This small number has not been able to create the right and proper mentality in society that we had management in the war or not. Did we work in the war without any plan and gentlemen did not have academic literacy, worked like a congregation, decided and the decisions were superficial? There were no scientific principles and no military work was done? Or it was tactful and planned? Where is a sample if it was planned? To do this, it is necessary for our memory writers to go on to do this with understanding topics that need to be spoken and make a stream in society. One of damages of the research in published works is that the researches have not guided us what are areas of ​​next steps and which topics we look for?"

Necessity of a roadmap for memory writing
Kamvar completed words of Fakhrzadeh, "I think it is related to necessity of interaction between universities and research centers so that issues related to memories to be in focus of academic research too and Alhamdulillah, the flow has been sustained for a few last years. I also wanted to point out how much research is contributing to the country's cultural budget and how much is paid attention to it? Given that research is very time consuming and costly, I think that a roadmap for research work in memory writing is very necessary; for different centers and institutions deeply and on the basis of their own individual and organizational plans are working on memoir writing in an isolated way. All goals are excellent and in benefit of the sacred defense, but in long-time we will encounter a lot of pests that in the midst of some short-term pests, we will find some parallel works that sometimes reveal itself, and centers and institutions address a particular subject and option, and the research is carried out unrelated to another center and institution, and finally we find out that another center and institution is also operating in such space. A roadmap is needed for systematic memory writing on the revolution and Sacred Defense that I hope it would be designed on the eve of the 40th anniversary of Islamic Revolution, and produced works in field of memory writing like other works would be systematized."
Then Fakhrzadeh continued, "We did not open a debate on impact of these memory writings on our public culture and society, and even on external societies. An assembly had been held in field of literature in Turkey that Mr. Kamvar sent an article to the conference. For telling importance and dimensions of genre of memory and literature of the sacred defense, I request Mr. Kamvar to say reaction of scholars and researchers who participated in the conference after presenting your paper."

Kamvar stated, "A conference was held titled "War and Culture in Turkey, which I sent a paper based on my information for this conference that in which I had reviewed 500 letters related to the prisoners with content analysis. They paid residence fee and we travelled there. Turkish Cultural Advice gathered name of a series of works related to Sacred Defense and Revolution in a list called "Top List" and is currently translating these works. One of those works was "Those 23 People" and the other "Abbas Dast-Tala" and several other books which had been translated into Turkish. There were people from twenty countries around the world. The subject of Sacred Defense Literature was very attractive for them and they listened to my article passionately. Given situation of the conference, if an article to be considered it should also be discussed in next panel and questions should be asked, so my article also was among those articles and in next panel, they started to ask me questions. The translator translated questions, and the point was that such a great deal has happened in Iran, and Iranians have produced a new literature of a catastrophe called war based on their own tact. They were keen to have more accessibility to works of the sacred defense literature. When I was presenting story of 23 people, stories of our captives and some data, enthusiasm of many scholars and pundits who were present at the conference was fully explicit, indicating how thirsty was international community for the sacred defense literature, and we have a long way to make our literature global. Now, we have the ability and capacity to translate many of our works into other languages ​​quickly and to have process of their publication and distribution in other countries, but it is slowly taking place. Number of books that I had taken with myself was low, but there were a lot of demands, so we have made frequent communications, and now I am slowly sending works of Sacred Defense to those scholars in different countries, and I hope for a day that all these books will be translated into different languages ​ and legitimacy of our Sacred Defense will be clear for people of the world. In final part of the conference, "Trench 143" was broadcast that refers to concept of waiting in Holy Defense Cinema. Everyone was eager that the film to have English and Turkish subtitle to understand what was whole subject, but unfortunately this had not happened, and I think we operate weak in these areas."