The research group 'Memory and Communication: The Political Uses of the Past' (HUM-1087) from the University of Seville was established with the aim of promoting research on representations of the past conveyed through various forms of communication, which are used for political purposes in the present. In this way, our research lies at the intersection of memory studies and those focused on media and the cultural industry.

We believe that the relationship we, as a society, have with our past defines who we are in the present and, to some extent, who we will be in the future. At the same time, this relationship is subject to various mediations, to 'political intermediaries' that range from family to the media, and of course, the educational system.

We aim to bring these mediations to the center of our research in order to answer, at least partially, questions such as: Why do we, as a society, have the memory we have, and not another? Or, put another way: Why do we collectively remember what we remember? And also: What role do the media play in the construction of social memory? What political consequences arise from the fact that our memory is what it is, and not something else? How is the past used politically and propagandistically?

This project also stems from a concern about public policies that regulate representations of the past. We believe it is necessary to open up the discussion on policies regulating historical memory to the public, at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Additionally, we want to participate in the debate, further enriching it with discussions on communication policies regarding the past, which should be discussed in parallel with memory policies.

Access to the media is power. And the media systems themselves are complex networks of power relations. Without the democratization of these systems, it is difficult to envision the democratization of memory. The policies that regulate media systems influence the view of the past we have—a view mediated by Hollywood films, textbooks, television series, social media, video games, etc. The way we consume history matters; the regulation of the media industry does as well.

The working group on 'Memory and Communication: The Political Uses of the Past' has a clear international vocation, but it is also a group that originates in Andalusia and aims to contribute to the Spanish and Andalusian memorialist debate, as well as participate in the memorialist movement, which also has a history deserving of attention and study.