Presentations by Streams

History teaching stands at the centre of political conflicts across Central and Eastern Europe. Authoritarian and populist regimes (ab)use history for present-day divisive purposes, such as winning a national election (Poland) or mobilising people for war (Russia). Against this trend, numerous local and transnational initiatives – including education-centred NGOs or international historical commissions – strive to underline history’s multi-perspectivity and its reconciliatory potential. This panel explores how difficult, contested histories are framed in textbooks and curricula across Central and Eastern Europe. How do international organisations, such as the European Union, EuroClio, or the Polish-German Textbook Commission, bridge competing narratives on the past? To what extent do transnational educational initiatives come into conflict with the priorities of national governments and regulators? How is the teaching of history affected by geopolitical events (such as the fall of the Iron Curtain), by territorial changes (such as the dissolution of the USSR), and by population movements (such as the influx of Ukrainian refugees into the EU in 2022)? What parallels do debates about education in Central and Eastern Europe have with those present in other parts of the world? Can the experiences with decolonisation and reconciliation in other countries inform educational practices and policymaking in the region? Papers in this panel cover a range of countries in Central and Eastern Europe (and beyond) and draw on literature and methods from diverse fields, including history, education, and literary studies. They are united by their sensitivity to the emotionally- and politically-charged nature of history teaching, but also by a cautious optimism about education’s reconciliatory potential.