The Road to Totalitarianism

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of 2022, Europe has been reminded that peace on the continent is more fragile than sometimes assumed. This war has increased Russia’s totalitarian aspects, moving it closer to the Soviet Union Putin mourns. Yet, totalitarianism nowadays is not just relevant in the case of Russia. Arguments for modern totalitarianism have further concerned states such as China, but equally non-state actors such as Islamists and far-right groups. As such, it has become evident that totalitarianism is not only a thing of the 20th century but continues to affect our present, making the topic even more relevant for education.

The upcoming webinar series aims to discuss all the challenges of teaching totalitarianism, to provide educators with the necessary skills and resources to approach this topic in class, and to answer some key questions:

• How do we teach about totalitarianism in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine? 
• How can we approach the subject of European memory in education? 
• How do we promote critical thinking among students in a time of dis- and misinformation?

The series will focus on the sharing of effective approaches to inquiry-based learning when it comes to teaching about totalitarianism. The series will begin with a lecture by Adéla Gjuričová of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a renowned expert on contemporary history. The keynote will be followed by two workshops hosted by lecturers and educators of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes: Vojtěch Ripka and Josef Řídký. During these sessions, they will reflect on how historical literacy can be promoted using online tools to address the key topics of totalitarian dictatorships. Both the workshops combine hands-on experience and online activities (adding a bit of theory and experience the educational department of the institute has acquired during the last 15 years). The series will conclude with a final sharing and debriefing session hosted by Alice Modena (EuroClio).

Please note that, as part of its wider thematic focus on totalitarianism, EuroClio will also produce relevant content for its general outreach work, including a recently released podcast episode on the subject.

The webinar series will consist of four online sessions, taking place at 16:30- 18:30 Amsterdam time.

• Keynote Lecture: Theory of Totalitarianism and the Communist Dictatorship in Czechoslovakia– November 1, 2022, hosted by Adéla Gjuričová, Czech Academy of Science
• Active Workshop: The Facade of the Totalitarian Regime– November 8, 2022, hosted by Vojtěch Ripka and Josef Řídký, Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes
• Active Workshop: Institutions of Violence, Violence of Institutions– November 22. 2022 hosted by Vojtěch Ripka and Josef Řídký, Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes
• Sharing and Networking Session: How do we teach about totalitarianism in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?– December 6, 2022, moderated by Alice Modena, EuroClio

During the webinar series, participants will:

• Discuss the continuing importance of totalitarianism nowadays  
• Learn how to teach students to recognize totalitarian qualities in different case studies 
• Work together on how to approach European memory in education