Memory in/and Foreign Policy: Central Europe, Israel and Beyond

Abstract

The papers included in this panel bring attention to the salience of history in international relations. They address the role of historical memory and its impact on foreign policy decisions in the context of recent events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The first paper analyzes the use of historical analogies by policymakers in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic in the early stages of the conflict. The second paper examines the perception of Israel’s mediation efforts in Germany, focusing on the role of small states in mediation and how it is perceived by other states. The third paper explores the Israeli foreign policy decision-making process and how political cultures and historical memory impact the use of history to justify foreign policies. Finally, the fourth paper discusses the relationship between Slovakia's remembering practices and its foreign policy relations, analyzing the impact of nationalism and historical memory on foreign policy decisions. Together, these papers offer a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between historical memory and foreign policy decision-making in different contexts, highlighting the complexities and nuances of this relationship.

Title	Details
The Traumatic Past is Back: World War II, Cold War, and European Responses to the War in Ukraine	View Paper Details
Waverer or Mediator? German perceptions of the role of Israel after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine	View Paper Details
Political cultures and historical memory in Israeli foreign-policy making: an initial analysis of mitigating factors	View Paper Details
Slovakia, Nationalism, and Small-State Remembering	View Paper Details