What happens when the past becomes a political weapon? Why are some versions of the past more powerful than others?In this episode, Cristina Moreno-Almeida speaks with historian Louie Dean Valencia about the political uses of history, the rise of far-right revisionism, and the responsibilities of historians in an age of digital misinformation. Together, they explore why the past remains such a powerful resource for shaping identities and political narratives, how nostalgia can be mobilised to exclude and divide, and why understanding history matters more than ever.In this Episode0:00 Introduction0:47 Trailer1:50 How do far-right groups manipulate memory?7:50 Alternative histories17:55 Nostalgia & far-right messaging22:03 How can we counter the instrumentalisation of history?28:50 Lightning RoundAbout the GuestLouie Dean Valencia is the NEH Distinguished Professor in the Humanities (2024–2027) at Texas State University, where he also serves as Director of the Texas Center for Public History and Associate Professor of Digital History. Dr. Valencia’s research interests span Europe, Spain, youth movements, digital history, music, film, visual culture, and historical memory. He earned his Ph.D. in Early and Late Modern European History from Fordham University and has taught at Harvard University. His work has been supported by prestigious institutions including the U.S. Library of Congress, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Spanish Ministry of Education, and the American Council of Learned Societies. His books include Far-Right Revisionism and the End of History (2020) and Antiauthoritarian Youth Culture in Francoist Spain (2018). He is editor of a forthcoming series on counterculture and serves on editorial boards for Popular Culture Review, Modern History of Politics and Violence, and Revista Internacional de Estudios sobre Terrorismo. He is also a member of the Emotions in European Politics network. An internationally recognised scholar and speaker, Dr. Valencia’s work explores how youth engage in social change through technology, art, counterculture, celebrity, and public spaces. Latest book Far-Right Revisionism and the End of History (2020) Learn more: https://www.txst.edu/history/people/faculty-staff/valencia.htmlAbout the Project'Digital Al Andalus: Radical Perspectives Of and Through Al Andalus (2023-2038)' is an ERC selected, UKRI funded project (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP/X042251/1) exploring the uses, abuses, and afterlives of medieval history in contemporary culture and politics.The series brings together historians, media scholars, and cultural critics to examine how the past is remembered, mythologized, and mobilised today, from medieval Iberia to digital culture and online misinformation.Learn more:https://digitalalandalus.qmul.ac.uk/ CreditsProducer, editing and sound:The Lens Box (email: studio@thelensbox.com; Instagram @thelensbox)Artwork:Kate NunnFelip Docolomansky Follow the PodcastYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalAl-AndalusInstagram:@digitalalandalus Website:https://digitalalandalus.qmul.ac.uk/Support the ProjectIf you enjoyed this episode, consider subscribing, sharing the podcast, or leaving a review. It helps others discover the series and supports independent public history projects.