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Call for Papers International Student and Doctoral Scientific Conference "Victimization in Historical Memory and Memory Politics in Central and Eastern Europe: Contested Legacies, Identity and Politics"
Conference date: 19-20 October 2026
Venue: Institute of European Studies, Jagiellonian University, Kraków (Reymonta 4 St.) / hybrid format
Abstract submission deadline: 8 October 2026
About the Conference
The Academic Student Societies of the Institute of European Studies at Jagiellonian University invite students, doctoral candidates, and early-career researchers to participate in an international academic conference devoted to the study of victimization in historical memory and memory politics in Central and Eastern Europe and, more broadly, across the post-Soviet space.
Memories of historical trauma, experiences of violence, and suffering play a crucial role in shaping contemporary national and social identities. Victim narratives are present in virtually every country in the region, constituting an important element of historical politics, public discourse, and processes of community-building. In recent years, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine, these issues have acquired renewed relevance. At the same time, numerous experiences associated with communism, fascism, ethnic conflicts, and political violence remain the subject of controversy and competing interpretations.
The conference aims to provide a space for interdisciplinary discussion of the mechanisms through which victimization narratives are constructed, their political and social functions, and the role they play in the memory politics of contemporary Central and Eastern European states.
Suggested Topics
We welcome paper proposals addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
- historical memory and memory politics in Central and Eastern Europe;
- victim narratives and perceptions of injustice in national discourses;
- victimization and competitive victimhood;contested legacies of the twentieth century;memories of communism, fascism, and other authoritarian regimes;
- Holocaust memory and the politics of commemorating the victims of the Second World War;
- memories of ethnic conflicts and political violence;marginalized and alternative memory narratives;
- museums, sites of memory, and history education;
- the instrumentalization of historical memory in domestic and international politics;national memory and European memory;
- historical memory in the media, culture, and digital space;
- theories and methodologies of collective memory research;
- comparative case studies of countries in the region.
Submission Guidelines
Those interested in participating are asked to submit:
- the title of their proposed paper;
- an abstract of no more than 300 words;
- a brief biographical note of up to 100 words;
- academic affiliation.
Submissions should be sent by 8th October 2026
Publication
Selected papers will be considered for publication in a planned online post-conference edited volume or in a publication prepared by participants in the project.
Conference Languages
The conference languages are Polish and English.
Organizers
The European Studies Students Association
The German Studies Students Association
Institute of European Studies, Jagiellonian University
Funding: IDUJ - Inicjatywa Doskonałości Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
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Event venue
ul. Władysława Reymonta 4, 30-059 Kraków, Poland, ulica Władysława S. Reymonta 4, 30-059 Kraków, Polska, Krakow, Poland
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