Authors

Johana Wyss¹;  ¹ Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czechia

Discussion

The rise of populist movements across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has coincided with a notable politicisation of historical memory, resulting in the mobilisation of antagonistic memories for political gain. Employing the concept of mnemonic populism (Kończal 2020), in this paper, I seek to approach “populism” ethnographically, from the bottom-up perspective of the everyday lived experiences of ordinary voters and through the lens of vernacular memory practices. By examining how individuals in the Silesian borderland engage with the past through their antagonistic mnemonic narratives, I seek to understand why populist movements are so successful in leveraging these narratives for political purposes. Furthermore, this research not only sheds light on the unique dynamics of the Silesian borderland but also contributes to our broader understanding of how memory and populism intersect.