220074 Comparative Populist Uses of the Past: History in Political Practice (S) (WiSe 2026/2027)

Populist appeals to a “true history of the people” have become a growing focus of research in history, sociology, and political science. The past is one of the many resources populist actors use to consolidate their electoral bases and draw the lines between “the people” and “the others”. They often work with familiar historical events, figures, and myths, reshaping or “purifying” them to fit a particular vision of who “the people” are. This seminar draws on memory studies and populism studies to examine how contemporary populist parties and political actors politicize the past for electoral gain. We will explore case studies of populist uses of the past from a range of countries, including but not limited to France, Germany, and Hungary.

No prior knowledge of populism studies is required, as we will cover the theories, concepts, and definitions in this seminar.