Questioning Power, Exclusion, and Memory: An Interdisciplinary and Transnational Approach

The rise of right-wing populism and far-right extremism in Europe and the USA threatens historical scholarship. Nationalist forces distort narratives, silence marginalized voices, and discredit critical research. Attacks on academic freedom, political interference in curricula, and state-sponsored historical revisionism increasingly target studies on minorities, migration, and gender, framing them as ideological rather than scholarly. These dynamics contribute to the normalization of right-wing and völkisch positions in history, legitimizing revisionist interpretations as accepted knowledge. The proposed panel aims to open up a fruitful discussion based on an interdisciplinary approach. This includes the field of history, history didactics, Jewish studies, migration research, gender studies, public history, and architecture studies. A core argument of this panel is that historical research and history didactics have to be closely linked in order to create interdisciplinary bridges that connect the diverse scholarly fields. Moreover, such a close link would enhance the dissemination of historical knowledge and ensure a broader factual public discourse and a stronger, but also sensitive historical consciousness. The panel therefore integrates perspectives from different disciplines as well as fosters a transnational approach, allowing case studies from different national and thematic contexts to contribute to a broader understanding of power, exclusion, and memory: x Prof. Dr. Lale Yildirim analyzes the construction of the migrant figure in academic and policy discourses from the 1960s to the 2010s and its impact on education. x Dr. Björn Siegel examines how Nazi and Brazilian regimes used passports to shape belonging and memory for Jewish refugees. x Dr. des. David Gasparjan introduces a model for analyzing belonging in transnational movements, using the Maccabi movement (1919–1932) to explore inclusion, exclusion, and resistance. x Dr. Laura Ingianni Altmann presents a German-Israeli DFG project on Erna Meyer’s life and work, offering a transnational perspective beyond national framings. None of the case studies stands in isolation; rather, they resonate with one another, contributing to a consecutive and complementary analysis. The panel thus fosters multi-perspectival, transnational reflection and contributes to ongoing efforts to challenge dominant narratives, support inclusive research practices, and strengthen international scholarly exchange.