Wars and crises: large conference in Salzburg
The conference is considered an important stocktaking of contemporary history: What are current topics and trends, what are young researchers dealing with and how can acute conflicts, crises and crises in society be explained.
“We look at historical events and phenomena and how they still have an impact today,” explained Margit Reiter, Professor of Contemporary History at the History Department of the University of Salzburg, who today organizes the biennial conference with her team.
This applies, for example, to phenomena such as fascism, National Socialism, communism, racism, anti-Semitism and how these have changed and adapted to new points of contact. “In addition, it is about observing current developments. Here, a historical perspective can help to find explanatory patterns.”
From political extremism to sexual discrimination
A number of contributions to Contemporary History Day 2022 deal with issues of inclusion and exclusion, political extremism, populism and discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. Lectures also deal with concepts that exist for overcoming divisions, political polarization and divided societies.
In addition, contemporary history is also present in domestic political debates, explained Reiter in the APA interview. “Historical events are always historically appropriated: in the culture of commemoration, in anti-Semitism debates, in the war against Ukraine.” Wherever historical justifications are used for certain actions, the subject deals with them.
Fascism historian Gustavo Corni as a guest
The conference with a total of 37 lecture panels is aimed at established contemporary historians, young scientists, students and an interested audience. The starting point for Contemporary History Day 2022 was the examination of the phenomenon of fascism, which first came to power in Italy in 1922 and shaped the following century in Europe.
On April 21, the Italian historian of fascism Gustavo Corni will give a lecture. On April 22, there will be a panel discussion on the topic “Who owns contemporary history?”, in which current instrumentalisations of contemporary history will be discussed.