Collective remembering and imagining futures

Abstract

This review explores the intertwined psychological processes of collective remembering and imagining, emphasizing their shared roots in present-day uncertainty. We propose a multidirectional model of collective mental time travel, where the present acts as a catalyst for navigating both the past and future through culturally embedded narratives and symbolic resources. Drawing on recent interdisciplinary research, we argue that these processes are not linear but multilinear, shaped by social identities, historical contexts, and culturally specific worldviews of time. Collective remembering and imagining serve as mechanisms of meaning-making and self-regulation, enabling social groups to interpret uncertainty, foster agency, and mobilize for change. While nostalgia may anchor groups in idealized pasts, utopian visions can inspire transformative futures. However, the direction and impact of these temporal orientations vary across cultures and depend on how time is conceptualized. Our model highlights the feedback loop between temporal reflection and present-day action, showing how collective memory and imagination can either reinforce the status quo or catalyse social transformation. Ultimately, we advocate for a nuanced understanding of CMTT as a dynamic, socially situated process that plays a critical role in shaping collective agency and envisioning alternative futures.