Active Memory: The Resistance in Today’s Politics

Eighty years after the end of World War II, Italy is still coming to terms with a past that never ceased its relevance to the present. A study published on Comparative Political Studies by Simone Cremaschi (Bocconi University) and Juan Masullo (Leiden University) explores how the collective memory of the partisan resistance still influences political behavior today in Italian regions that experienced that historical period most intensely.

The study, entitled The Political Legacies of Wartime Resistance: How Local Communities in Italy Keep Anti-fascist Sentiments Alive, utilizes a multi-methodological approach that combines municipal-scale statistical analysis with a qualitative case study of a carefully selected municipality in Emilia-Romagna. The research demonstrates how the local experience of the armed resistance has left a lasting political legacy that is still felt today through a process of intergenerational transmission of collective memory.

A legacy beyond the ballot box

One of the more innovative aspects of the study is the analysis of the effects of collective memory beyond electoral and party politics. While past studies on the legacies of war focused on electoral effects and party organization, Cremaschi and Masullo demonstrate how wartime experiences can influence politics beyond the ballot box, fostering mobilization for popular legislative campaigns.

One significant example is the campaign for an anti-fascist law launched in 2020 in Sant’Anna di Stazzema, which garnered 240,000 signatures across the country. The study reveals that the areas with a history of armed resistance showed greater support for this initiative, suggesting that the legacy of resistance withstands despite the dissolution of the Communist Party — and is not solely dependent on communist or socialist ideology. 

“These collective memories not only survive the demise of the political organizations that initially supported them, but continue to inspire collective action and civic mobilization,” highlights Simone Cremaschi, Research Fellow at Bocconi’s Department of Social and Political Sciences. 

Beyond violence: Memories of struggle and resistant identities

Another crucial contribution of the study is the analysis of legacies of war other than violence. While much previous research has focused on the long-term effects of victimization and trauma, Cremaschi and Masullo explore how experiences of armed resistance can actively promote resilient collective identities.

The study’s statistical analysis exhibits a correlation between local resistance and contemporary anti-fascist preferences, while the qualitative data reveal that local experiences of the resistance are a strong source of education and transmission of collective memories. These memories do not necessarily derive from experienced trauma or violence; they celebrate the identity of those resisting, stimulating a rejection of fascist ideologies and a continuous mobilization in defense of democratic values.

“It is not just a matter of remembering the past, but applying it to the present,” affirms Cremaschi. “These narratives shape political identities and provide a compass for collective action.”

The mechanisms of transmission: From memory to political action

The study identifies three key mechanisms through which collective memories of resistance influence contemporary political behavior: memorialization, localization and mobilization.

• Memorialization: Through monuments, plaques and ceremonies, memories of resistance are preserved and transmitted, shaping collective identities.
• Localization: Memory becomes anchored to specific referents — such as local battles or partisan leaders — rendering the narrations more accessible and relevant at the community level.
• Mobilization: Political identities formed through collective memory are translated into concrete actions, such as supporting anti-fascist campaigns or participating in democratic demonstrations.

The case of the municipality analyzed in depth in the study demonstrates that these three mechanisms are operative in the daily life of a community. From streets named after local partisans to memorial ceremonies, collective memory is not just a static remembrance, but an active force that mobilizes new generations to defend democratic values.

“Collective memory is a political battlefield,” observes Cremaschi. “Whoever controls the past, controls the present. And in Italy, the memory of the resistance continues to be a powerful tool of democratic identity.”

Italy, a laboratory of memory and mobilization 

Italy represents a unique context to study the effects of collective memory on modern politics. The partisan resistance was not just a national liberation movement, but a founding moment for Italian democracy. Associations such as ANPI (National Association of Italian Partisans) and ARCI (Italian Cultural Recreational Association) act as “memory entrepreneurs”, preserving and passing on these historical narratives.

Eighty years after the end of World War II, the legacy of the resistance lives on — not only in monuments and public squares, but in the actions of those who defend democratic and anti-fascist values.

Cremaschi and Masullo's study shows that collective memories are not simply a reenactment of the past, but a powerful tool for political mobilization. In an era of historical revisionism and political turmoil, remembering becomes a political act.