Abstract

Mapping memories is useful for revealing and understanding the relationships that individuals and communities have with places, but extremely challenging given the complex and fluid nature of memories. To address these challenges, we developed a series of cartographic approaches to map the memories of exiles. In the first approach, we converted ten video recordings of life story interviews into conventional cartographic representations to identify structures and potential patterns in and between these stories. In the second, we invited those who told these stories to comment and provide feedback on the maps, triggering additional memories, untold in the original life story. In the third approach, exiles worked with artists and cartographers to develop their own spatial representations of their life stories. In this chapter, we argue that this mobilization of complementary cartographic approaches is key to mapping memories in a way that both respects the complexity of personal memories of exiles and contributes to a better understanding of individual and collective geographies.