| Abstract | This article provides a brief overview of sociological efforts to develop conceptual edifices for the study of collective memory. First, it is argued that memory and heritage form a continuum or a "heritage/memory nexus" whereby claims to the past receive different degrees of reverence or legitimacy. Second, a critical review and comparison of current sociological perspectives in the field of memory studies leads to the presentation of three different methodological strategies currently pursued in the literature. These strategies are critically evaluated with regard to the extent to which they contribute to the development of the conceptual tools necessary for the construction of historically grounded generalizations in the field. Alexander's notion of cultural trauma construction is used as an example of a conceptual strategy for creating a cultural sociology of historical narratives. The article concludes through an examination of the relationship between these methodological strategies and the themes pursued in the special issue's individual contributions.
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