The article focuses on the ascribed autonomy of collective identities, based on two theoretical points of Maurice Halbwachs's work: the priority of the social context of memory and the presence of collective memory's sites. Although it has been extensively used by those in search of a theoretical shield for the enquiry on the process of collective identity construction, Halbwachs actually attributed a greater importance in his work to the analysis of the social contexts of memory. In spite of the social focus and the scientificistic perspective of his project, if it is considered in a broad theoretical frame, his work is crucial to our understanding of the fact that inquiries on the process of memories and collective identities must take into account the limits of their own constitution.
Collective memory; Identity; Subjetivity; Maurice Halbwachs