Answer Happy

Discussion Post #6: Culture, Power, and Monuments Sara Moore 36 36 In an Everyday Sociology Blog post – titled “Empty Pedestals, Monumental Culture," Jonathan Wynn writes about the 2020 racial justice protests that resulted in the removal of many confederate statues. He argues that monuments are stories that societies tell about themselves, and the statues commemorating those who supported racist ideologies might not be the story communities want to be telling anymore. Wynn notes that "history is highly edited," traditionally by those in positions of power. But there are moments in time when public pressure is too great for those in power to ignore, as was the case in 2020 after nationwide protests followed the murder of George Floyd. Explain what "monumental culture" means, according to the author. How does the removal of monuments reflect concepts about activism and social change discussed in your textbook? Historically, who has been left out of "monumental culture?" How might these groups form social movements to challenge troubling monuments, or create new ones that better reflect contemporary shared values?