“To try to map our tomorrows with the help of data supplied by our yesterdays means ignoring the basic element of the future which is its complete non-existence.”
Against the backdrop of today’s rapidly changing landscape, the current reality is perceived by many as resembling a parallel universe, one that stretches the limits of plausibility established just a couple of decades ago. However, the enduring echoes of historical events and political systems remain palpable, with the cultural memory shaping modern identity and societal structures. The “Wrong Turn: On the Political Present and the Shadows of the Past” explores these overlapping temporalities and anachronisms, which blur the lines between what was, what is, and what will be.
Highlighting the significant historical shifts that influence the present through the intricate dynamics of cultural diffusion, where the state of today might appear markedly different from that of yesterday, the ghosts of history continue to reverberate in our present political, social, and cultural frameworks. The panel aims to unpack the complexities of societal norms and exclusions in both physical and digital spaces, illuminating the profound impact of our collective past on the narratives of contemporary life.