In cooperation with the Center for Cultural and Religious Studies, the international Association for Cultural Studies (ACS), and the MEMPOP research group, a diverse cultural studies program took place in Ljubljana between April 20 and 24. The recap video below offers a quick glimpse into the event:

The Faculty of Social Sciences hosted our two-day international conference Decolonization Strategies and Memory Work in Popular Culture, alongside a multi-day series of workshops within the framework of the ACS Institute. This extensive academic program was complemented and concluded by a film and music lineup organized by the Slovenian Cinematheque (Slovenska kinoteka) and the Nimaš izbire collective.

Our event featured:

• plenary lectures by David Mwambari (University of Leuven) and Madina Tlostanova (Linköping University)

• a conversation with Lawrence Grossberg – author of the recently translated foundational cultural studies work Cultural Studies in the Future Tense

• more than a dozen panels

• a round table on the activities of the MEMPOP project

• five thematic and methodological workshops

As for the accompanying cultural program, we curated a book exhibition spanning the broader field of cultural studies, a guided graffiti tour of Ljubljana, the three-day film program Commons on the Horizon: Memory Work and Post-Yugoslav Film, and the club music event Nimaš izbire X MEMPOP: Ljubljanacore. [click here for a separate post on the latter]

If, after scrolling all the way down, you are somehow still not quite sure what MEMPOP is all about, we suggest you take a look at this video, where our principal researchers delve into the heart of the project:

An event of this scale would not have been possible without collective effort. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the researchers, panelists, students, and attendees who brought their energy and insights to Ljubljana. Special thanks go to our co-organizers and partners whose support was vital in bringing this program to life.

The conference may be over, but the memory work continues! 🐘🤝✨”