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The Genealogies of Memory 2023 conference in Warsaw, slated for November 22-24, delves into the intricate ways individuals and societies grapple with the memory of 20th and 21st-century pandemics, famines, and industrial disasters. The hybrid event, with online participation options, seeks to understand the impact of traumatic events on collective memory.
Memory and Trauma Across Centuries
From the aftermath of the Great War to contemporary pandemics, the conference explores how societies cope with traumatic events. It questions the influence of defense mechanisms, such as denial or tabooisation, on the collective memory of past disasters and their role in shaping contemporary perspectives.
Discourses of Memory in Focus
The conference aims to highlight discourses of memory surrounding natural and man-made disasters, emphasizing diverse social actors’ perspectives. It focuses on epidemics, famines, industrial disasters, and memory construction practices, examining their representation in public narratives, cultural texts, and contemporary spaces.