Authoritarian Nostalgia and Political Memory: The Uses of the Authoritarian Past

Nostalgia for authoritarian rule can shape contemporary political identities, leadership narratives, and public debate. This panel invites papers examining how memories of authoritarian periods are constructed, circulated, contested, and used in Asian politics. Contributions may explore education, media, popular culture, family memory, political campaigns, and commemorative practices, asking when appeals to order, discipline, development, or national greatness gain political traction—and how these narratives are challenged.