Digital resources in the Social Sciences and Humanities OpenEdition Our platforms OpenEdition Books OpenEdition Journals Hypotheses Calenda Libraries OpenEdition Freemium Follow us

Statement

The International Federation of Public History (IFPH), recognizes public history as an integral field within the historical sciences, encompassing professionals who engage in historical work across diverse public and private settings for a wide range of audiences. Public historians operate in international and transnational organizations, government institutions at all levels, as well as in local, regional, and national non-profits, corporations, cultural institutions, and educational organizations. Their work is deeply rooted in rigorous research, drawing from material culture, visual and oral histories, digital archives, written records, and both traditional and non-traditional sources of historical evidence.
Public historians do not merely document the past—they interpret, present, and bring history to life through scholarly publications, museums, historic sites, government reports, digital platforms, and other public forums. They are committed to making historical knowledge accessible, fostering critical engagement, and advancing social justice. This includes preserving historical memory, amplifying marginalized voices, and advocating for cultural diversity and activism.
In line with our mission and our unwavering commitment to freedom of thought and expression, the IFPH is committed to promoting and encouraging inclusiveness in the public history profession and seeks to advance diversity in all forms of programming and collaboration. Our goal is to bring all kinds of voices into the discussions and advancements of our practice. Therefore, we strongly condemn the banning of books, the censorship of historical narratives, the surveillance of students and educators, attacks on memory sites, and the imposition of ideological agendas—particularly right-wing distortions—which are not only dangerous but fundamentally undermine the very principles that public history upholds. Language censorship, as well, is a blatant affront to the historical struggles and rights of marginalized groups. Erasing terms like “diversity” and all they represent is not just a semantic shift—it is an act of silencing diverse voices that belong in historical narratives. These actions threaten the integrity of historical inquiry and practice, and the democratic values we stand for.
The IFPH remains steadfast in its defense of free historical discourse and the right to engage with history in all its complexity.

The IFPH Steering Committee


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Jimena Perry (March 5, 2025). Statement. IFPH-FIHP. Retrieved March 16, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/13f5l


You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.