Circus ÚSTR. History as a Weapon? How the Disinterpretation of Modern History Undermines Society
- Where: Václav Havel Library, Ostrovní 13, Prague 110 00
- When: May 16, 2024, 19:00 – 21:00
Modern Czech and European history, especially when it comes to the totalitarian and authoritarian regimes of the 20th century, is naturally the subject of pluralistic research. At the same time, the West, including the Czech Republic, is currently facing premeditated attacks from genocidal imperial powers, primarily Russia, that – through propaganda and disinterpretation – employ history as a dangerous weapon. How does Russian manipulation of history work, and what is its goal? Which events in Czech history are deliberately weaponised by Russia? What can we do to make society resistant to the falsification of history? Can civic education help? And what is the responsibility of intellectual and political elites?
Guests: Helena Langšádlová, historian Petr Placák and MP Ondřej Kolář.
Chaired by historian and philosopher Petr Hlaváček, director of the Department of Research and Education at the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.
The event is part of a series of debates named Circus ÚSTR, with the title referencing the Czech acronym for the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.