NATION-WIDE SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE

“Memory policy in theoretical and practical dimensions”

has been held in Rivne since 2014

Background to the conference

The idea of organizing a series of such conferences arose during the Revolution of Dignity in 2013–2014. The triumph of civil society institutions during the revolutionary events played its role for the conference. The support for the fundamental democratic foundations of the Maidan and somewhat critical assessment of excessive nationalist rhetoric prompted the organizers to initiate a conference on memory policy.
One of the main tasks that this endeavor pursued was the attempt to institutionalize in Rivne an all-Ukrainian communication platform for academic discussions between representatives of different, even diametrically opposed, academic positions. Equally important to us is adherence to the principle of interdisciplinary studies: speakers must represent different aspects of memory studies in the historical, political, media, sociological, artistic, and literary fields.
The first two conferences were organized by the Department of Political Sciences of Rivne State University of Humanities. However, the conference achieved a new level after the creation of the NGO “Center for Studies of Memory Policy and Public History “Mnemonics” in 2016. The support of the organization by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung in Ukraine made it possible to attract more participants from different regions of the country.

Further development

During the period of organizing these academic forums, there appeared a tradition of dedicating the conference annually to specific topics within the general scope of memory studies. This practice was born in 2016 during the organization of the 3d Nation-wide conference. Its thematic focus is “Commemoration of the memory of victims of genocides and mass killings”. 56 participants from 10 regions of Ukraine.
The thematic focus of the 2017 conference was “National minorities and the collective memory of titular nations: dilemmas of (not) forgetting”. 60 participants from 11 regions of Ukraine.
The thematic focus of the 2018 conference was “Constructs of formation/correction of the collective memory”. More than 40 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine, including from such cities as Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Nizhyn, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Lutsk, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Lviv, Uzhgorod.
The thematic focus of the 2019 was “Spaces of memories”. 43 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine.
The thematic focus of the 7th nation-wide scientific and practical conference, which will take place on May 22-23, 2020, will be “Memory about World war II in Ukraine and EU countries”.

History of conferences

May 19-20, 2016

3d Nation-wide scientific and practical conference “Memory Policy in Theoretical and Practical Dimensions”. Its thematic focus was “Commemoration of the memory of victims of genocides and mass killings”. 56 participants from 10 regions of Ukraine.

March 30-31, 2017

4th Nation-wide scientific and practical conference “Memory Policy in Theoretical and Practical Dimensions”. Its thematic focus was “National minorities and the collective memory of titular nations: dilemmas of (not) forgetting”. 60 participants from 11 regions of Ukraine.

May 11-12, 2018

5th Nation-wide scientific and practical conference “Memory Policy in Theoretical and Practical Dimensions”. Its thematic focus was “Constructs of formation/correction of the collective memory”. More than 40 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine, including from such cities as Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Nizhyn, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Lutsk, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Lviv, Uzhgorod.

May 3-4, 2019

6th Nation-wide scientific and practical conference “Memory Policy in Theoretical and Practical Dimensions”. Its thematic focus was “Spaces of memories”. 43 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine.