Collective Reflections: Exploring Memory and Populism at MEMPOP’s First Conference
As we reflect on our inaugural conference, “Memory and Populism from the Margins”, which took place in beautiful Prague from December 1st to 4th, we are filled with gratitude. This event underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need for critical discussions about memory, politics and political polarisation in today’s unsettled world context.
The conference was a timely reminder of the importance of these discussions, as the world grapples with the rise of populist movements and far-right ideologies. The election victory of the Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Austria, the protests in Georgia, the electoral scandals in Romania, and of course not forgetting the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza – have all underscored the need for critical engagement with collective memory and historical narratives, and their impact on contemporary politics.
Participants of the Memory and Populism from the Margins conference (Photo: D. Kumermann)
Johana Wyss, PI of the MEMPOP project (Photo: D. Kumermann)
Our dedicated team worked diligently to bring together a diverse group of experts to explore the complex dynamics between memory politics and populism (from the margins). The conference programme featured seven panels, covering topics such as re-assembling legacies, mnemonic urban contestations, belonging and marginalization to socio-economic inequalities and their reproduction. In addition, the conference included two keynote lectures. The first was delivered by Pamela Ballinger from the University of Michigan, who spoke about Istria and the history of fascism and anti-nationalist populism. The second keynote was presented by Agnieszka Pasieka, now at the University of Montreal, who examined morality and memory in youth far-right activism. Both keynote speakers also kindly served as panel discussants, alongside other esteemed scholars such as Jeremy Walton, Petra Guasti, Nicolette Makovicky, Joseph Grim Feinberg, Karolina ‘Ćwiek-Rogalska, and Ger Duijzings. Their well-informed and thoughtful feedback provided valuable insights for the panelists and enriched the discussion throughout the conference.
Pamela Ballinger, keynote speaker at the conference (Photo: D. Kumermann)
Jeremy Walton, discussant at the conference (Photo: D. Kumermann)
Closing remarks were delivered by sociologist Petra Guasti, who conducted a thorough reading of all the papers presented. She not only highlighted the interconnections between the different panels, but also critically examined how each presenter navigated the “muddied waters” of analyzing populisms. Her recently published book, Capire il Populismo (“Understanding Populism,” co-authored with Zulianello M.), served as a framework for debunking six myths about populism. It is now the challenge for the project team to integrate the insights from this kick-off event and address them in the ongoing ethnographic research.
The feedback we received was incredibly heartening, with many attendees expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of perspectives and ideas in an intimate and friendly context. You can find it expressed in their own words on the pages of our friend-projects: “Recycling the German Ghosts” and “HEPP – Helsinki Research Hub on Emotions, Populism and Polarisation”. Another attendee praised our event for enabling a welcoming, supportive (and fun) atmosphere for scholars to share their research and insights with each other, saying that it reminded him why he loves academia. What better feedback can we get?
It was a true honor to share our research and ideas with such a talented and dedicated group of scholars. As we move forward with our project, we are committed to continuing these important discussions and exploring new ways to understand the complex relationships between memory, populism and politics. We are grateful for the opportunity to launch our project with such a successful event and look forward to continuing our research journey together.
Gerlachlus Duijzings, discussant and speaker at the conference (Photo: D. Kumermann)
Gruia Bădescu, speaker at the conference (Photo: D. Kumermann)