Crowding out the Algerian War in French Memorial Books.

This article analyzes French photographic memorial books published between 2010 and 2012 that address the Algerian War (1954–1962) and its contested memories, known as the "Memory Wars." It examines how these books, produced by French academics, Pieds-Noirs (French Algerian exiles), and Algerian immigrants, attempt to represent diverse perspectives yet often obscure the traumatic realities of the war through curated images and layered textual narratives. Drawing on concepts such as multidirectional memory and memory hoarding, the study highlights that while these memorial texts seek to fill historical silences and foster reconciliation, they simultaneously perpetuate competitive and compartmentalized memories that limit a full reckoning with the violence and suffering experienced. The article situates this discussion within ongoing efforts in France, including the 2022 Truth and Memory Commission, to move beyond segregated communal memories toward a more integrated understanding of the colonial past and its legacies.