Events from the past, most often related to wars, violence and violation of rights of some social groups by others, are sometimes used in present times as an instrument of international conflicts. By looking at contemporary international relations one may get the impression that the number of conflicts in which a specific historical narrative is employed has been increasing. Accordingly, the convenors of this conference are convinced that by raising this subject-matter one has to resort to methods and acquis of a number of disciplines like political sciences, history, international relations, sociology, social anthropology, social psychology etc.

The programme of the conference inlcudes the keynote lecture "Historical Memory as a Variable: Memory, Identity and Conflict" by Prof. Zheng Wang and seven presentation sessions, as well as a visit to the former German Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.