Grassroots memorials have become major areas of focus during times of trauma, danger, and social unrest. These improvised memorial assemblages continue to display new and more dynamic ways of representing collective and individual identities and in doing so reveal the steps that shape the national memories of those who struggle to come to terms with traumatic loss. This volume focuses on the hybrid quality of these temporary memorials as both monuments of mourning and as focal points for protest and expression of discontent. The broad range of case studies in this volume include anti-mafia shrines, Theo van Gogh's memorial, September 11th memorials, March 11th shrines in Madrid, and Carlo Giuliani memorials in Genoa.

"It is evident that the editors have gone to some considerable effort to assemble a rich, diverse ethnographic treasure-trove, and to anticipate any charges of Eurocentrism by also drawing on examples of makeshift memorials from other parts of the world. Meanwhile, the thoughtful reflexivity demonstrated by several of the contributors vis-à-vis their own emotional and epistemological locations within the case studies is refreshing and praiseworthy." · Folklore