Historical Memory and the Politics of Memory

Faculty:

Yurii Latysh

Fall 2025: September 1, 2025 – December 19, 2025

Schedule: |

Subject: HIST

Level: 300

Credits

Max Enrollment: 22

Language of Instruction: English

Prerequisites:No

This course is dedicated to historical memory as part of national identity. Today, the state, using the means of appropriate policy and management, is an influential actor of national memory. The course involves a comparative analysis of politics of history and memory. We will analyse the Memory Turn, finding out why the influence of the past on our lives is important and why that influence is growing. For course participants, a background in the social sciences and humanities is an advantage. The course provides for the study of theoretical aspects of historical and collective memory (concepts of Maurice Halbwachs, Pierre Nora, Aleida Assmann). Different segments of the course focus on models of memory politics in Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, North and Latin America, Israel, China and other regions. We will also look at the categories of collective guilt and responsibility using the example of post-Nazi Germany. Participants should have a good command of English in order to read scholarly texts fluently. As a result of this course, participants will learn to analyse national historical myths as components of national and security policies, to recognise the manipulation of the past, the causes of memory wars, etc.

Guidelines for the Statement of Purpose:
Craft a reflective statement of purpose explaining your interest in the Smolny Beyond Borders online course. The file should be saved with your name and course title as the filename and uploaded accordingly. Your statement’s clarity and substance will significantly influence our selection. Convey your motivations and aspirations for this course succinctly but thoroughly. Kindly write your statement in the course’s Language of Instruction.

Application Portal Instructions:
1) Use the Latin alphabet for all entries on the portal, including your name. If the Language of Instruction is Russian, you may use Cyrillic only within the Statement of Purpose file, and the title of the file should still be in English.
2) Refrain from using email addresses associated with Russian or Belarusian educational institutions.
3) While completing the “Required Information” section, ensure you fill in the “Province” field for your address.
4) Provide an address outside Russia or Belarus in both the “Required Information” and “Geographic Location Confirmation” sections of the “Online Course Application”. This ensures we can send your transcript.
5) You must press the “Sign” button twice during the application.
6) If you hold a bachelor’s degree, select “4th+” in the “Academic Year (online)” section.
7) Applicants either unaffiliated or affiliated with educational institutions in Russia and Belarus should list ‘Smolny Beyond Borders’ as their educational institution.
8) In the student ID section, enter ‘SBB’.
9) Consider drafting your motivation letter ahead of time. Save it as a separate file with this format: LastName_FirstName_CourseTitle for a smoother application process.