Here we provide a preview of our latest publications. Follow this link to the Cultures of History Forum's website to get access to all our articles.
Exhibiting 20th Century History
The new permanent exhibition at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia in Old Town Riga has finally opened its doors to the public. The completely revamped exhibition covers altogether 11 'chapters' of Latvia's 20th-century history, from the interwar republic through Soviet and Nazi occupation all the way to re-independence. With its use of modern technology, the museum tells a narrative of suffering and resilience that tries to appeal to its visitors' emotions, running the risk of overwhelming them.
Exhibiting 20th Century History
Since gaining independence, Kyrgyzstan has struggled to reconcile its imperial and Soviet history with a post-imperial historical narrative that would be able to unite contemporary Kyrgyz society in a nation-state. No memorial site embodies this more than the Ata-Beyit Memorial Complex near Bishkek. The grave sites and memorials assembled here represent three periods of Kyrgyzstan's 20th century history all at once. The article traces their history and discusses their changing meaning over time.
Politics of History
While Putin’s plan to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been widely understood as irrational, it is entirely consistent with the “anti-fascist” discourse of his regime. The article discusses how this discourse draws on the political and cultural neo-traditionalism crystalized in 1970s Soviet TV serials that vilified the West, defined a new Soviet war hero, and nurtured a cryptic fascination with Nazism.