The presentation will tackle the challenges to archaeology imposed by the resurfacing of far-right populism and nationalism in Europe in a conversation across the ideological and generational divide. The basis for this critical inquiry is an interview conducted by the author with a prominent medieval archaeologist who also happens to be one of the intellectual proponents and a former MP from a pro-Russian far-right party in Bulgaria.
The conversation reviews the subtle connections between archaeology and politics, shared research interests and differing interpretations on notable heritage sites such as Pliska (the first capital of medieval Bulgaria) etc. This approach offers a rare opportunity to learn from the practical exercise of political ideas on research agenda and vice versa. Besides getting a grip on the low-key longevity of such ideologies, another essential takeaway is the exposure of structural gaps where they can operate.
Perhaps the most prominent among them is the false division between democracy and some idealized historical identity propagated by populists. In the scale of globalized large-scale political units heritage and especially local heritage is neglected due to its perceived low monetization potential, thus creating an educational and cultural vacuum readily occupied by these ideologies. This is among a series of uncomfortable realizations but also unexplored opportunities for archaeology to contribute to a fact-based democratic narrative about the past and the future.

First Author: Petar Parvanov

Keywords:
heritage politics
interview
Pliska
research agenda
factuality