Abt. Geschichtswissenschaft

"Russian Cultural Policy in the Midst of War: Strategies and Actors" by Tatiana Romashko, Olga Zabalueva (2025) – article recommendation by Anastasia Serikova

2026-05-11T07:56:18+02:00

"Russian Cultural Policy in the Midst of War: Strategies and Actors" by Tatiana Romashko, Olga Zabalueva (2025)

This paper investigates developments in Russian cultural policy following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It analyses shifts in cultural legislation and official discourse on culture within the context of war, using the cases of the Historical Parks Project and the Cultural Front of Russia. The authors argue that these projects exemplify both top-down and bottom-up dynamics of empowerment within the wartime patriotic framework. Despite differing leadership structures, they share significant similarities in their methods and ideological alignment with Russia’s authoritarian regime. The article draws on an analysis of official discourses in the Russian Parliament’s and Presidential Administration’s official Telegram channels and media coverage of their activities.

“Das Gedächtnis der Töchter” by Irene Langemann (2023) - Novel recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-05-04T09:43:09+02:00

“Das Gedächtnis der Töchter” (2023) by Irene Langemann

Irene Langemann, born in 1959 in Issilkul (Siberia), grew up bilingually in a German family. At the age of seventeen, she moved to Moscow to study acting and German literature, and went on to work as an author, actress, and presenter. In 1990, she emigrated to Germany. She has since lived in Cologne, where she works as an author and director for film and television. “Das Gedächtnis der Töchter” is her first novel – a compelling, autobiographically inspired, and beautifully crafted chronicle of a Mennonite family in Eastern Europe spanning six generations. At the same time, it offers a profound exploration of Ukrainian-German, Russian-German, and Soviet-German relations from the late nineteenth century onward, tracing the history of violence in the twentieth century and the enduring complexities of Stalinism. It is a book that at times demands pauses for breath, yet proves impossible to put down.

"Perverse Decolonisation?" by Ekaterina Degot, David Riff, and Jan Sowa (2021) - Book recommendation by Alexandra Kolesnik

2026-04-27T08:20:10+02:00

"Perverse Decolonisation?" by Ekaterina Degot, David Riff, and Jan Sowa (2021) - Book recommendation by Alexandra Kolesnik

The volume offers a compelling reflection on a central paradox of our time: while the language of decolonization has become increasingly visible in public discourse, it is also being appropriated by authoritarian and exclusionary regimes. Rather than leading to emancipation, decolonial rhetoric is often redirected toward new forms of nationalism, cultural essentialism, and political control. The concept of “perverse decolonization” captures this ambivalence, highlighting how emancipatory vocabularies can be instrumentalized from above, while also remaining open to tactical and critical reinterpretations from below. Bringing together essays, discussions, and artistic perspectives developed across multiple international contexts, the book provides a nuanced and self-reflexive framework for understanding how decolonization operates—and is contested—within today’s global cultural landscape.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Populism and the Growth of the Radical Right in the Nordic countries" by Anders Widfeldt – Article recommendation by Hannah von Legat

2026-04-20T07:39:56+02:00

"Populism and the Growth of the Radical Right in the Nordic countries" by Anders Widfeldt – Article recommendation by Hannah von Legat

If you’re looking for a clear and concise introduction to the rise of right-wing populism in Northern Europe, I highly recommend the overview article by Anders Widfeldt (available in English and Danish). It outlines the long history of the Scandinavian populist parties and explains how they combine anti-establishment and anti-immigration positions with support for welfare politics. Using Cas Mudde’s concept of the “Populist Radical Right,” the piece also shows why these movements are likely to remain relevant—making it a useful starting point for understanding Nordic politics today.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Steppenkinder. Der Aussiedlerpodcast" by Ira Peter and Edwin Warkentin (2020-2024) - Podcast recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-04-13T15:14:55+02:00

"Steppenkinder. Der Aussiedlerpodcast" by Ira Peter and Edwin Warkentin

Hosted by journalist and author Ira Peter and Edwin Warkentin, Cultural Advisor for Russian Germans in Germany, the podcast brings together voices from the “brought-along generation” of Germans from the East—those who migrated to Germany from the former Soviet Union as children or adolescents with their families in the late 20th century. Spanning 45 episodes, it explores a wide range of topics and perspectives, offering nuanced insights into entangled history, migration, memory and belonging. Although the project has unfortunately concluded, its episodes remain a rich and inspiring archive.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

Anke Pinkert’s "Remembering 1989: Future Archives of Public Protest" (2024) - Book recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-03-30T11:38:38+02:00

Remembering 1989: Future Archives of Public Protest by Anke Pinkert (2024)

Anke Pinkert offers a strikingly original reinterpretation of the events commonly referred to as the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR. Rather than presenting 1989 as a linear narrative of socialism’s collapse and the triumph of neoliberalism, she reimagines it as a moment of radical openness, civic courage, and democratic experimentation – a fleeting yet powerful promise of alternative futures. Through her counter-archival approach, Pinkert invites us to reconsider how political ruptures are remembered and to reflect on what might still be recovered from their unfinished promises.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"wikinger-toplak.de" by Matthias Toplak - Blog recommendation by Hannah von Legat

2026-03-23T09:10:57+01:00

wikinger-toplak.de by Matthias Toplak

Everything related to Vikings, archaeology, and the Viking Museum Hedeby is brought together on the blog by Dr. Matthias Toplak (archaeologist, head of Viking Museum Hedeby). Here you will find articles on topics such as the ‘Viking diet’, TV-documentation or book recommendations, and the latest news on Viking age excavations. The short articles are both entertaining and well-researched. Perfect for anyone who wants to stay up to date with the Viking Age and current research.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

“Antiosteuropäischer Rassismus in Deutschland. Geschichte und Gegenwart” by Jannis Panagiotidis und Hans-Christian Petersen (2024) - Book recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-03-16T06:11:30+01:00

“Antiosteuropäischer Rassismus in Deutschland. Geschichte und Gegenwart“ by Jannis Panagiotidis and Hans-Christian Petersen (2024)

Both the scholarly and public debates about racism in Germany require an eastern enlargement — this is the central claim advanced by Panagiotidis and Petersen in their thought-provoking overview of the past and present of German racism directed at Eastern Europeans. Admittedly, readers familiar with historical research on German stereotypes of Eastern Europeans (for example, the trope of polnische Wirtschaft), the history of East European Studies in Germany, German anti-Slavism, or migration from Eastern Europe will encounter relatively little that is empirically new. The value of the book lies instead in its deliberate shift of perspective towards what Philomena Essed has termed “hierarchies of worthiness”, that is, the differentiated and often implicit gradations through which Others from the East are positioned within German society. By foregrounding Eastern Europeans within this framework, the authors challenge the dominant focus on other axes of racialisation and make visible forms of discrimination that are frequently normalised or rendered invisible. In doing so, the book not only expands the scope of racism research but also invites a reconsideration of how race, migration, and belonging are conceptualised in the German context more broadly.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Historische Beratung Toplak" by Matthias Toplak - YouTube Channel Recommendation by Hannah von Legat

2026-03-09T10:45:55+01:00

"Historische Beratung Toplak" YouTube Channel by Matthias Toplak

Horned helms and wild warriors? Myths and imaginations of the Vikings and the Viking Age are everywhere, but not always true. The YouTube channel by archaeologist Dr. Matthias Toplak (head of Viking Museum Hedeby, Schleswig) discusses and deconstructs fifteen popular myths in an entertaining but thoroughly research-based way.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Die übersehene Nation" (2025) by Martin Schulze Wessel - Book Recommendation by Josephine Herrmann

2026-03-02T10:34:45+01:00

"Die übersehene Nation" (2025) by Martin Schulze Wessel

Martin Schulze Wessel’s "Die übersehene Nation. Deutschland und die Ukraine seit dem 19. Jahrhundert" offers an accessible entry point for readers who want to approach Ukrainian history from a perspective other than seeing it as merely an extension of Russian history. Tracing German–Ukrainian relations from the late nineteenth century to the present, the book highlights a long and asymmetrical relationship shaped by political interests, shifting perceptions, and persistent blind spots in German historical culture. Schulze Wessel presents Ukraine as an active historical actor while also addressing Germany’s responsibility in shaping the current situation. Clearly written and analytically sharp, this study is highly recommended for anyone seeking a nuanced understanding of Ukrainian history and the historical depth of German–Ukrainian entanglements.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

Webinar Series of the Initiative for Democratic Science (DemWiss) - Webinar Recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-02-23T09:20:07+01:00

Webinar Series of the Initiative for Democratic Science (DemWiss)

January–February 2026: The Initiative for Democratic Science (DemWiss) launched a new webinar series bringing together researchers from various fields to discuss current challenges to academic freedom, democratic knowledge production, and the social responsibility of academia. The series provides a forum for critical reflection on the political, institutional, and ethical conditions of research and teaching today. Participation is open upon registration.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Ottoman History Podcast" - Podcast Recommendation by Melis Konakçı

2026-02-16T09:33:45+01:00

Ottoman History Podcast

Focusing on the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East, Ottoman History Podcast—with 580 episodes—is an exceptionally rich resource for anyone interested in the region. Drawing on multiple disciplines, the podcast explores both macrohistory and microhistory, hosting a broad range of academics with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. The podcast features episodes in both English and Turkish, making it ideal for anyone who wants to delve deeply into the region’s history.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Ringvorlesung Wissenschaftsfreiheit" from Universität Hamburg - Lecture Series Recommendation from Hannah von Legat

2026-02-09T14:03:43+01:00

Ringvorlesung Wissenschaftsfreiheit

The ongoing public lecture series explores the growing pressure on academic freedom from an international perspective (WS 2025/26). Organized by the Faculty of Humanities of Hamburg University, it discusses political interferences in academic research and teaching – from funding cuts and legal restrictions to public attacks on scholars. Bringing together cases from the United States, Europe, and beyond, the series sheds light on how universities navigate the tension between academic freedom and political engagement. A thought-provoking contribution for anyone interested in the current challenges of free research and teaching.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Claiming the People's Past: Populist Politics of History in the Twenty-First Century" edited by Berber Bevernage, Eline Mestdagh, Walderez Ramalho and Marie-Gabrielle Verbergt - Book Recommendation by Melis Konakçı

2026-02-02T11:46:36+01:00

Claiming the People's Past: Populist Politics of History in the Twenty-First Century:

Edited by Berber Bevernage, Eline Mestdagh, Walderez Ramalho and Marie-Gabrielle Verbergt

This comprehensive collection of articles examines the populist politics of history, spanning cases from Bangladesh to Spain and encompassing both left-wing and right-wing populism. The first part of the book features case studies that explore how populist politics engage with history, while the second part focuses on the theoretical dimension, delving into the reasoning behind populism’s fondness for the use of history.It is a highly thought-provoking book about the relationship between history and populism, showing that, regardless of geography, some aspects of the populist use of history are similar.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Private Life, Public Action: How Housing Politics Mobilized Citizens in Moscow" by Anna Zhelnina - Book Recommendation by Alexandra Kolesnik

2026-01-26T09:23:26+01:00

"Private Life, Public Action: How Housing Politics Mobilized Citizens in Moscow" from Anna Zhelnina

In Private Life, Public Action, sociologist Anna Zhelnina offers a compelling study of how ordinary Muscovites mobilized in response to the city’s 2017 housing renovation program. In a context where grassroots activism is rare and politically risky, residents organized local alliances, debated with neighbors, and unexpectedly found themselves drawn into public action. Zhelnina introduces the concept of “housing strategies” to show how private concerns about home, security, and everyday life shaped people’s engagement with the redevelopment plan. Through careful ethnographic research, she reveals how these interactions transformed not only political attitudes but also relationships within local communities. Clear, insightful, and deeply grounded in contemporary Russia, this book offers a fresh perspective on urban change and the everyday roots of civic mobilization.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Kairos" Novel by Jenny Erpenbeck - Book recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-01-19T09:12:05+01:00

Kairos. Roman by Jenny Erpenbeck

“Gehen, ging, gegangen”, recommended to me by the late Alf Lüdtke (1943-2019) during a coffee break at a workshop, was the first novel by Jenny Erpenbeck I had ever read. Since then, she has been one of my favourite German novelists. “Kairos” is at once a love story and a story of madness, a meditation on the rise and fall of the GDR, and a portrait of late socialist Berlin — beautifully written and deeply thought-provoking. Awarded the Booker Prize in 2024, the novel confirms my sense that Jenny Erpenbeck may one day be a Nobel Prize winner.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Kultur unter Druck" from LWL-Kultur - Discussion Series Recommendation by Hannah von Legat

2026-01-12T09:31:53+01:00

"Kultur unter Druck" discussion series from LWL-Kultur

Cultural institutions are key pillars of our democracy — especially in light of growing challenges posed by anti-democratic movements. To face these challenges, facilitate knowledge transfer, and encourage more conversation, the cultural departments of LWL and LVR join for a new digital series: “Kultur unter Druck – Kulturgespräche 2025” (Culture under Pressure – Cultural Discussions 2025). The discussions between different cultural and academic actors can be accessed on Zoom and are also available on YouTube afterwards.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit" from Gabor Maté - Book Recommendation by Kornelia Kończal

2026-01-05T09:15:54+01:00

Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit from Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté is a Canadian physician and psychologist of Hungarian origin. Drawing on his medical expertise and personal experience with ADD, he challenges the idea that attention deficit disorder is a genetic illness, showing instead how early life experiences shape brain development. Maté explores how emotional and attentional regulation can fail to form properly in infancy – yet can also be strengthened later in life. More broadly, this beautifully written and deeply human book offers a profound understanding of neurodiversity.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera - Book Recommendation by Melis Konakçı

2025-12-22T13:01:53+01:00

"Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera

For anyone interested in the subtle (and not so subtle!) ways imperial history has shaped and continues to shape Britain, Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera is a must-read. Sathnam Sanghera, a journalist and best-selling author, dissects every portion of British daily life in order to show its imperial connection. From politics to food, travel, museums, and even the Boy Scouts, he encourages readers to reflect critically on how everyday practices are linked to the imperial past. Empireland is a highly thought-provoking book, not only for those who want to know more about Britain but also for anyone who wants to think critically about their own nation’s past.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Neo-Pagan Group Eldaring: Why the Germanic Pantheon Continues to Fascinate to This Day?" from Deutschlandfunk - Interview Recommendation by Hannah von Legat

2025-12-15T09:43:25+01:00

"Neo-Pagan Group Eldaring: Why the Germanic Pantheon Continues to Fascinate to This Day?" from Deutschlandfunk

Brave explorers, fierce warriors? When people think of Vikings, a vivid image usually comes to mind. In reality, however, scholars know far less about their daily lives and beliefs than many assume. Sources are scarce, and most written accounts date from later centuries—often authored by Christian writers.

In an interview by Deutschlandfunk (beginning at minute 11:55), Benedikt Schulz speaks with Scandinavian Studies scholar Simon Hauke about how contemporary culture portrays the Vikings, their pagan religion, and how these images are sometimes instrumentalized by right-wing activists.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.”

"Populism and (Pop) Music" by Manuela Caiani & Enrico Padoan - Book Recommendation by Alexandra Kolesnik

2025-12-08T09:49:48+01:00

Populism and (Pop) Music (2023) by Manuela Caiani & Enrico Padoan

This thought-provoking book explores the largely overlooked relationship between populist politics and popular music. Focusing on Italy—a country with both a long history of populist movements and a vibrant pop music culture—Populism and (Pop) Music reveals how sound, performance, and fan practices contribute to the rise and reproduction of populism.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the authors trace how pop music creates cultural opportunities for political messaging, how political actors strategically use music to shape identities, and how listeners interpret these connections in their everyday lives.

Moving beyond the Italian case, the book offers a broader analytical framework for understanding how popular culture and politics intersect today. It is a compelling and timely study, opening new perspectives for anyone interested in populism, cultural sociology, or popular music studies.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

“Tracks East” from ARTE - Documentary Recommendation by Josephine Herrmann

2025-12-01T19:01:56+01:00

“Tracks East” from ARTE

Tracks East from ARTE is a documentary magazine exploring how politics, pop culture, and everyday life intersect in post-socialist Eastern Europe and beyond. Each 30-minute episode follows artists, activists, and ordinary citizens as they navigate war, nationalism, and social change – from opposition communities in exile to street artists and feminist campaigns. Produced largely by journalists from Eastern Europe, Tracks East offers a powerful glimpse into how the legacies of the Soviet Union, the Second World War, and authoritarian regimes continue to shape present-day identities and conflicts. The series is easily accessible, with episodes available in several languages with subtitles on ARTE, the ZDF Mediathek, and YouTube.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Pour Noubia" exhibiton by Mohamed Bourouissa at Marta Herford Museum - Exhibition Recommendation by Aleksandr Rusanov

2025-11-24T09:12:58+01:00

Pour Noubia, exhibition of Algerian-born and Paris-based artist Mohamed Bourouissa

(13.9.2025 – 18.1.2026; Marta Herford Museum)

As noted in the description of the exhibition of his work at the same time, “bear witness to various forms of violence stemming from colonialist ideologies” and “create a sense of humanity in which dignity triumphs over humiliation.” I would like to highlight the central work, a huge video installation called Noubia, dedicated to the artist's aunt, who migrated to Osnabrück and worked there as a sex worker.

This was perhaps the first time I had seen the animation of old photographs using AI, a popular technique in "conflict-free" digital humanities in museum practices, used in such an emotionally accurate and poignant way. Noubia's photos (are they authentic?) come to life, "telling" in the everyday voice of an elderly heroine, frightening but ordinary stories of the adaptation of a migrant woman and sexual exploitation. Both the agoraphobic space of the hall and the “uncanny valley” inaccuracies of moving pictures convey alienation and capture the fleeting flow of memory.

(photo by Aleksandr Rusanov)

(photo Aleksandr Rusanov)

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Smoke, Mirrors, and Memories: Legacies of the Soviet-Afghan War" by Jeffrey W. Jones - Book recommendation by Anastasia Serikova

2025-11-17T10:34:47+01:00

Jeffrey W. Jones: Smoke, Mirrors, and Memories: Legacies of the Soviet-Afghan War (2025)

At the heart of this book are the complexities of the Soviet–Afghan War, as seen through the eyes of those who were involved. Jeffery W. Jones conveys a broad picture, acknowledging the narrative illusion of a seamless story amid the fog of war, and analyzes varied accounts relayed by a wide range of sources. He argues that, amid propaganda and disinformation from all sides attempting to shape perceptions of the war, narratives and discourses on the war in the latter half of the 1980s helped pave the way for the collapse of the USSR, as disillusionment with the conflict grew within Soviet society.

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.

"Andreas Reckwitz über das Erben in der Spätmoderne" from the Krumme Straße - Podcast Episode Recommendation by Alexandra Kolesnik

2025-11-10T11:05:09+01:00

"Andreas Reckwitz über das Erben in der Spätmoderne" from the Krumme Straße podcast

The latest episode of the Krumme Straße podcast — a collaboration between the journal Merkur and the KWI Essen Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities — features a conversation with Andreas Reckwitz, Professor of General Sociology and Cultural Sociology at Humboldt University of Berlin, on the topic of heritage in late modernity.

Modernity has long been defined as a future-oriented society. Yet, as this future orientation falters in late modernity, the heritage of the past acquires renewed significance: we can no longer avoid inheritance. But what exactly do we inherit?

More Ideas & Insights recommendations could be reached at our Public History Unit webpage every week.