How History Shapes Politics: Historical Memory and the War in Ukraine
From IONA Asks by IONA Asks
December 18, 2025 · 45 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of historical memory on politics and identity, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine.
On this episode of IONA Asks, host Ferdinand Rother is joined by Professor Florian Gassner , Associate Professor of Teaching in UBC’s Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies, for a wide-ranging conversation on historical memory and its role in shaping politics, identity, and war. The discussion explores what scholars mean by “historical memory” and how societies remember the past through education, culture, and official narratives. Using Germany, Russia, and Ukraine as case studies, Professor Gassner explains how different memory traditions influence public opinion, foreign policy, and reactions to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Topics include Germany’s Erinnerungskultur , Russia’s use of World War II and imperial history, censorship and narrative control, and the evolution of Ukrainian identity since 2014. This episode offers a framework for understanding why the same historical events can lead to radically different political interpretations and why memory itself has become a battleground. An episode of IONA Asks. Hosted by Ferdinand Rother. Recorded at the IKB Library, UBC.
People in this episode
Host: Ferdinand Rother
Guest: Professor Florian Gassner
Topics covered
- historical memory
- politics
- identity
- war
- public opinion
- foreign policy
- Ukrainian identity
Keywords
- historical memory
- politics
- Ukraine
- Germany
- Russia
- identity
- foreign policy
- Erinnerungskultur
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: UBC
Books & works: Erinnerungskultur
Places: Germany, Russia, Ukraine
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