Author Meets Critics - Navigating Cultural Memory in post-Genocide societies: Champions, Antagonists, Fatalists   

July 15, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00

Tea Sindbaek Andersen, Susanne Buckley-Zistel, David Mwambari, Ruramisai Charumbira
Moderated by Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong

This round table explores the evolution of the master narrative and hegemonic memory narratives in societies recovering from genocide, war or mass violence. Drawing on the three categories of Champions, Antagonists, and Fatalists advanced in Navigating Cultural Memory: Commemoration and Narrative in Postgenocide Rwanda (Oxford University Press,2023), the session will interrogate how official narratives shape memory and belonging. Panellists and audience members will discuss how these narratives are contested, reinterpreted, and reinforced by different actors, including ordinary citizens. Participants will also draw on different case studies, including those from their own research. It will also discuss different methodologies used in memory studies in the global south contexts.

Practising Memory: Perspectives from the Field in Czech Public Space

July 15, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00

Pavlína Šulcová, Tereza Štěpková, Magdalena Benešová, Jakub Novosad
Moderated by Petr Sokol

This semi-plenary session explores how memory is actively constructed, challenged, and sustained in contemporary Czech public space. Drawing on direct experiences from the field, the discussion brings together practitioners working across education, activism, site-specific memorialization, and media. Rather than focusing on theory alone, the session highlights applied practices, field-based challenges, and the evolving role of memory work in shaping public discourse and civic identity. The aim is to foster a grounded conversation on how memory is translated into action in diverse societal contexts.

Beyond Crises

July 15, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00

Irena Kalhousova
Moderated by Valeria Korablyova

Information to be added