Edward S. Casey’s Remembering: A Phenomenological Study (1987; expanded second edition, 2000) is a landmark work that redefines our understanding of memory. Rather than treating memory as a mental archive where past experiences are simply stored and retrieved, Casey argues that remembering is an active, embodied, and lived experience. Through a phenomenological approach, he shows that memory is deeply connected to our bodies, our surroundings, and our everyday actions. He distinguishes between the act of remembering and the object remembered, while identifying three common mnemonic modes—reminding, reminiscing, and recognizing—that shape how we engage with the past. One of Casey’s most influential contributions is his exploration of body memory, which includes habits, skills, and physical responses, and place memory, which explains how locations preserve personal and cultural histories. He also highlights the importance of commemoration as a collective practice that sustains shared memories within communities. The expanded second edition further broadens this framework by examining collective memory, traumatic memory, and the essential role of forgetting, arguing that forgetting is not merely a failure of memory but a necessary condition for healthy remembering. Casey’s work remains a foundational text in Memory Studies, demonstrating that memory is not confined to the mind but is woven into the body, the landscape, and the social world.
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