Historical memory is a matter of the greatest historical importance and of great importance today. Exalted, criticised, or simply ignored, no one can doubt that historical memory is a topical issue. In this I Seminar on Historical Memory we intend to address historical memory not as a tool for polarising society, instead on the contrary, as an indispensable tool to bear the past in mind while building a future that is inclusive, reconciliatory and brings people together. Only knowledge of the past, with all its complexity, can enable us to understand the present and can help us build a future full of peace, and open to reconciliation. The seminar will address issues that are familiar to us and others that are more unfamiliar, that can help us understand human beings, in all their grandeur and misery.

Programme:

10 - 10.10 a.m. Introduction

Dr Judith Urbano (Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UIC Barcelona.)

Part 1: On Historical Memory

10.10 - 10.30 a.m. Paper 1: "Historical memory: a useful tool?”

Dr Xavier Baró i Queralt (UIC Barcelona)

10.30 - 10.45 a.m. Talk entitled: “Comparing Historical Memory in Germany and Spain”

Doctoral candidate Tibisay Navarro (University of Minnesota)

10.45 - 11 a.m. Talk entitled: “Political repression in socialist Albania: The "Sigurimi" and political and family repression”

Doctoral candidate Edlira Gabili (University of Tirana)

11- 11.30 a.m. Debate

11.30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Break

Part 2: On reconciliation

12.00 - 12.20 p.m. Paper 2: “Introduction to Political Reconciliation”

Dr Daniel Philpott (University of Notre Dame)

12.20 - 12.35 p.m. Talk entitled: “The philosophy of forgiveness and reconciliation”

Dr Juanma J. Robles (University of Leeds)

12.35 - 12.50 p.m. Closing session "Reconciliation in history and the history of reconciliation”

Dr Xavier Garí (UIC Barcelona)

12.50- 13.10 p.m. Debate

*With support from the Catalan Society of Legal Studies in the IEC (Institute of Catalan Studies).