Populism, Trauma, and Memory: Understanding Orbán’s Use of History to Solidify Political Control

The topics of nationalism and populism have been well-studied. However, current
research has understudied the role of trauma and memory in understanding
these areas. This paper analyzes how the terms traumatized nationalism and
illiberal memory affect populist political power. To answer this question, we seek
to differentiate the terms traumatized nationalism and illiberal memory while
explaining their attributes for populists. We use Hungary’s Orbán and how he has
utilized these concepts to achieve political success as a case study. This study
emphasizes the need for scholars to understand the impact of traumatized
nationalism and illiberal memory on regimes and their implications.