History, "Christian Nationalism," and Neoliberal Politics in Contemporary Hungary

This presentation examines recent developments in historical consciousness and politics in Hungary. Currently, the historical narratives that are similar in content to interwar "Christian nationalist" ideas are shared by supporters of the government and the far-right. On the other hand, recent Hungarian politics appears as typical European right-wing populism due to its racist or anti-European universalist policies, which can be seen in the treatment of refugees, counter-EU attitudes, or, more recently, the harsh education policy targeting the Central European University. The purpose of this presentation is to situate Hungarian historical consciousness in the contemporary political moment.