In Towards a new paradigm for memory politics on colonial past in Africa: an analysis of the couple franco-allemand?, Richard Legay and Andreas Mehler ask whether a new Franco-German paradigm in memory politics has emerged? And if so, what is it?
To do so, a comparative approach is used to identify key dynamics, current challenges (namely the restitution of cultural heritage and the return of human remains), central actors and structures, as well as differences and similarities in the ways both countries approach memory politics, notably through the lens of path dependency and historical institutionalism.
They do so in a context of two countries that have increasingly engaged with political acts of remembering their colonial past in Africa.
Most of the time, these acts occur after a long resistance to face this difficult history and its impact today.
However, the late 2010s and early 2020s have most definitely seen a change in the ways former colonial powers are now looking at their history and the way it is remembered.
