Projects / Programmes
Cultural memory in the post-Yugoslav theatre
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.06.00 |
Humanities |
Culturology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H000 |
Humanities |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.04 |
Humanities |
Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music) |
cultural memory, literature, theatre, Yugoslavia, mass media, reception
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
38014 |
PhD Iva Kosmos |
Culturology |
Head |
2017 - 2019 |
196 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Proposed project will research theater and literature as active forces in shaping cultural memory on Yugoslavia. The main concept for this research is the concept of cultural memory (cf. Halbwachs, Assman, Nora) that designates a set of memories, shared by all members of a certain society, that enable group consolidation, collective identification and shape the collective behavior in the present as well as its future. The research is set in the context of former Yugoslavia and its successor states that are dealing with a challenge of how to remember theirs socialist past.
Dominant memory narrative in former Yugoslavia, which is mainly reproduced in media and politics by national elites, has been described by “totalitarian paradigm”, which means that the Yugoslav past is remembered only through its political and institutional, while being simultaneously described as negative and totalitarian. That causes several social problems, such as an obstruction of individual and collective identification, as positive or affectual memories are excluded from national memory frame. Additionally, citizens of former Yugoslavia are discouraged to learn from their historical and political experience, and the process of reducing the past is narrowing down the imagination of alternative realities and visions of the future. In that sense it is crucial to call for a more complex memory narrative that will enable inclusivity, self-reflection and the future social imagination.
The postsocialist memory studies are concentrating themselves on the study of nostalgia, affects, popular culture and everyday experience in order to understand cultural memory formation and different memories that are excluded from dominant memory narrative. In spite of that, the role of theatre and literature as potential active forces in the formation of cultural memory on Yugoslavia remains understudied. Which strikes as problematic, as there have been several very popular theatre performances all over former Yugoslavia that directly addressed the memory of Yugoslav past, attracted high media attention and provoked public debate.
This research propose case studies of five theatre performances, and two literary pieces from former Yugoslav republics, and final comparative analysis between them. The goal of the research is to investigate is there a potential in theatre and literature to act as an active force in the formation of cultural memory, challenge the dominant memory narrative and possibly augment it or reshape it?
Research questions will be following. First, what are the theatrical and literary representations of Yugoslavia and how is the process of remembering conducted in theatre and literature? Second, how are these productions perceived and discussed in the public and in the media? And lastly, is there a potential in theatre and literature to challenge dominant memory narratives in media? Each case study will concentrate firstly on formal analysis of memory narrative as constructed in an artwork. Reception study will follow. The social life of theatre and literature will be in focus, as I will aim to observe how those artworks affected public discussion and the way we talk about, discuss and remember Yugoslavia.
Significance for science
Project aims to fill the gap in the field of postsocialist memory studies. The field has done important work in defining the dominant memory narrative that is performed by national political elites in the politics and media (Todorova 2010; Todorova and Zsuzsa 2012; Todorova, Dimou, and Troebst 2014; Petrović 2012; Pavlakovic 2010; Pavlakovic 2008). The phenomena of nostalgia has been most thoroughly discussed, as well as the role of affects and pop culture, music, television, and movies in cultural memory (Velikonja 2008; Pušnik and Luthar 2010; Pogačar 2016; Pogačar 2015; Petrović and Mlekuž 2016; Petrović 2012). But, in spite of several recent works on the role of literature and theatre in cultural memory (Beronja and Vervaet 2016; Jakiša 2016; Jakiša 2014), there has been a lack of research in the theatre and literature, and especially in their potential to reshape dominant memory narrative. This is especially troubling as there have been several very known theatre performances in recent years, directly tackling topic of Yugoslavia and memory. This research will aim to fill this gap, and investigate the role of theatre and literature in the cultural memory, with a special interest in the potential of art practices to actively shape and reshape the dominant narrative.
To understand the potential to actively shape memory narratives we need to study reception of theatre and literature, and that is the aspect that is usually understudied both in literature and theatre studies that tend to concentrate on the artwork itself. This research will thus complement methodology used in literary and theatre studies with a reception analysis that will be added to other analytical approaches.
Slovenian literary scholars have been doing very important research on memory and literature, but with a focus on diachronic perspective and a (re)usage of cultural and literary elements across time (Juvan 2005; Juvan 2016; Dović 2013). The role of literature in the present formation of cultural memory on Yugoslavia thus remain underexamined in literary studies. Theatre studies are synchronically oriented, but concentrated on the notion of theatre’s “political potential” (Hans-Thies 2003; Jürs-Munby, Carroll, and Giles 2013; Falkenroth 2013). While the social role of theatre in Yugoslavia, Slovenia and Serbia has been addressed (Sušec Michieli, Lukan, and Šorli 2010; Jakovljević 2016; Šentevska 2016), the concept of cultural memory has not been recognized in the field. This project will contribute to the theatre and literary studies in their understanding of cultural memory, social contextualization and social role of theatre and literature.
Bibliography is included in the pdf document Research proposal.
Significance for the country
Literature, theatre and other arts are struggling for social recognition as their work is too often written of as without an actual influence on society. This research could show quite the opposite picture: that the theatre and literature are crucial for a society to self-reflect, face its past through complex perspective and consequently gain understanding of its present and possible insight in the future. The research will thus support the understanding between art and other actors in society.
As the research promotes subnational level and comparative approach, this research will directly interest also scholars in other ex-Yugoslav countries, thus addressing them and inviting them to join in the debate and exchange of knowledge. Research could inspire future collaborations on issues of art, cultural memory and recent history.
As it is stated and demonstrated by the UNESCO, development is not synonymous with economic growth alone, but it means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. As such, that development is inseparable from culture. This research supports cultural development and understanding art as a valuable part of social life and debate. It also supports openness to diverse cultural and historical experiences that should be recognized as parts of our heritage. Creating the complex and diverse cultural memory will affect the protection of diverse cultural heritage, which is based on different experiences of the past.
Our present is regularly described as “the time of crisis”. There is a need to find new answers to social, economic, spiritual and moral problems. In the search for those answers thinkers are turning back to different historical experiences. They reminds us that it is impossible to create the emancipatory vision of alternative future without learning from the past, embracing its positive aspects, reflecting on the negative ones. The predominantly negative stance towards Yugoslavia in politics and media in former Yugoslav countries is not supporting this approach, although there are attempts of young political left to engage with past in more constructive way (Horvat and Štiks 2015). This research promotes a complex understanding of history, cultural heritage, cultural memory with an aim to establish nuanced view of the past in general society, which will allow us to seek the inspiration for the political imagination of our future.
Cited work:
Citirano delo: Horvat, Srećko, and Igor Štiks, eds. 2015. Welcome to the Desert of Post-Socialism: Radical Politics After Yugoslavia. Brooklyn, NY: Verso.
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report,
final report
