Don’t forget to remember: mnemohistory’s role in shaping education’s future

As educational reforms unfold, the role of memory and history can be underappreciated, even though they are intertwined with contemporary educational practices. This presentation introduces mnemohistory, a concept that merges memory and history to explore how collective memories and cultural heritage influence current educational ideologies and structures (Tamm, 2024). Mnemohistory is an active force, one that shapes educational experiences often in gentle yet far-reaching ways. I examine how mnemohistory offers a meaningful approach to reimagining the future of inclusive education. By looking into how memories of the past have been embedded in educational systems, it becomes possible to uncover biases and exclusions that have historically defined who gets to learn and how. Mnemohistory invites a reevaluation of these historical narratives to build more inclusive, equitable and globally relevant educational environments. Through an interdisciplinary lens I will explore how mnemohistory can challenge long-held educational beliefs and inspire more inclusive approaches. The focus will be on how reexamining and reinterpreting historical and cultural memories can pave the way for an education system that more accurately reflects the many different facets of experiences related to all students. Rather than simply remembering the past, mnemohistory can be seen as a representation of ‘the facility that is used to carry out one subplan while keeping in mind the necessary related subplans and the master plan’ (Cowan, 2014, p. 201) in educational discussions ahead.