The Twentieth Century in European Memory

Themes and Approaches in Contemporary European Memory Studies


"The Twentieth Century in European Memory: Themes and Approaches in Contemporary European Memory Studies" is a 4EU+ open online course co-taught by academic experts from Charles University, University of Warsaw, Sorbonne University, University of Milan, University of Heidelberg, and University of Copenhagen.


Course description

Contested memories and painful pasts regularly re-appear in the European public sphere on transnational, national, and regional levels. Most recently, the war in Ukraine has instigated a new wave of memory themes and disputes, as various memory narratives are activated for numerous purposes, including explaining warfare, justifying various politics, attempting to explain ongoing events, bolstering identities, or mobilizing for political positioning or activism.


This collaborative course asks why we need memory and memory studies. What kinds of roles does memory play in contemporary Europe? The course introduces the main concept and approaches within memory studies. Drawing on case studies from different European countries and regions, the course explores different ways of remembering Europe’s complicated past and investigates how these forms of remembering influence life, politics, and culture across contemporary Europe.


Online participation

The course will take place in a virtual format with online lectures and seminars taught on Zoom by top academic experts in the field of Memory Studies from 4EU+ partner universities and the COST Action Slow Memory. Each session, except the Introduction and Wrap-up which are solely for students enrolled in the class, consists of an expert talk and Q&A and is a live stream. The recordings serve exclusively as an internal project archive.


Zoom link:

https://cuni-cz.zoom.us/j/93147560845?pwd=Q1FGcFhUQk5RMEpkaVlFTWtXb09jQT09


Meeting ID: 931 4756 0845

Passcode: 707815


CU students can additionally enroll in the course under the code JTM650.


Contact information

If you have any question about this course, please contact Klára Kosová: .