'The idea of crossroads opens up the idea of horizons pregnant with hope and reviviscence. It points toward the possibility of a life that is dynamic and not solely defined by inflicted wounds and forced separations. Conceptualizing and firmly believing in crossroads as a metaphor for thinking and for nostalgia is not easy. Undertaking this difficult task, however, opens up possibilities to move from painful memories into action, to refuse the unacceptable, and to counter discourses arguing that the ancient (the past, the ever-present immemorial) has been erased or does not matter. Different directions, points of departures, and possible routes indeed emerge when observing crossroads.' (Introduction)