Paper long abstract:

A raising interest on the role of generations in historical thinking has been occupying the academia. Especially since 1988, 20 years after 1968, a discourse on the impact of the Soixante-Huitard has haunted mass media and art scenes as well. Narrations on the subjectivity of this generation have mostly been argued through its members' peculiarity and uniqueness. This work, however, will discuss that all generational discourses are built a posteriori, in a retrospective fashion. One therefore should discern the uniqueness of Soixante-Huitard focusing on its members' present social positions. The major purpose of this paper is to discuss the connection between the present cultural-economic conditions of Soixante-Huitards and their nostalgia for a romantic past by indexing some instances from mainstream Turkish media channels. The logic of this nostalgic re-narration of the past might provide insight to see the mechanisms of what this paper calls as "neo-liberal historiography." The major goal of this paper is to disclose the interrelations between this new historiography, which is an early example of neo-liberal historicism, and the settlement of the ideal global citizen that praises youthfulness.