Battle for the Past: Use and Misuse of the Past in Contemporary Societies

In 2022 Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his aggressive war against Ukraine with a speech that resembled a history lecture, aiming to impose a distorted historical narrative over fundamental human values like peace and brotherhood. It is our responsibility as scholars to understand the challenges and consequences of such political manipulation. This course explores how contemporary societies use the past, focusing on the political manipulation of history, the interpretation of traumatic events, and the treatment of history as a resource. Key concepts include "historical memory," "historical politics," and "trauma." Students will examine how national narratives are represented through toponymy, memorials, museums, and textbooks. Special attention is given to Russia’s evolving relationship with its past, from the collapse of Marxism as a historical methodology to the rise of new national identities after the Soviet Union's dissolution. The course also analyzes international and domestic conflicts over historical memory, particularly in Russia, where competing historical narratives influence national identity formation. Counts as a course in culture and civilization.