Call for Papers: First Conference of the Iberian Memory Studies Network, Barcelona, 16–18 September 2026
Barcelona, 16–18 September 2026 Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona–CCCB
The Iberian Memory Studies Network (RIEM by its Spanish acronym) invites proposals for its inaugural conference, dedicated to exploring the tensions and dialogues between memory and emancipation as a means to rethink our past, present, and future. In today’s world, the concept of freedom has been appropriated by reactionary forces advocating for a negative and individualistic conception of liberty. In an era marked by multiple crises and democratic regression, ‘emancipation’ has once again become an urgent concept.
Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following questions:
● How can memories of crises, revolutions, transitions, violence, or resistance expand or reconfigure our notions of emancipation?
● What dynamics are activated when past emancipatory projects are remembered, reexamined, or reimagined differently?
● Which theoretical frameworks and new conceptualisations allow us to rethink the relationship between memory and emancipation?
● To what extent can certain forms of forgetting —strategic, affective, or institutional— hinder or foster emancipation?
● How do memory and (re)imagination interact in contexts marked by civil rights struggles, social justice, cultural preservation, or ecological survival?
● Can Memory Studies help us critically evaluate what we understand by freedom and which processes are truly emancipatory?
● How and in which cases must we emancipate ourselves from memory?
● Can we conceive of memory as a form of emancipation in itself?
● What role does the working-through of the past play in an emancipatory process?
We invite researchers and practitioners whose work relates to Memory Studies to contribute to this critical dialogue. The RIEM aims to promote interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse discussions regarding the changing relationship between memory and emancipation in contemporary societies.
We welcome various types of contributions: individual papers (15 minutes), full panels (maximum of 3 speakers), and roundtables. Each session will last 75 minutes to ensure ample time for discussion with the audience. Brief audiovisual screenings, presentations, or artistic interventions that fit within the allotted time will also be considered.
Proposals
Proposals —comprising an abstract of 250–300 words and a 100-word biographical note— should be submitted via this form by 25 April 2026.
