History and Myth in Romanian Consciousness

by Lucian Boia, L. Boia

Overview

This book stems from the idea that there is a considerable difference between real history and discourse history. Boia points out that history is constantly reconstructed, adapted and sometimes mythified from the perspective of the present day, of present states of mind and ideologies. Boia closely examines the process of historical culture and conscience in nineteenth and twentieth century Romania, particularly concentrating on the impact of the national ideology on history. Based upon his findings, the author identifies several key mythical configurations and analyses the manner in which Romanians have reconstituted their own highly ideologized history over the last two centuries.

The strength of History and Myth in Romanian Consciousness lies in the author’s ability to fully deconstruct the entire Romanian historiographic system and demonstrate the increasing acuteness of national problems in general, and in particular the exploitation of history to support national ideology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789639116979
Publisher:	Central European University Press
Publication date:	01/28/2001
Edition description:	2001 English Ed
Pages:	285
Sales rank:	410,840
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

	Three Years on: An Introduction to the Second Romanian Edition	1
	The Story of a Book	1
	Demythologizing?	3
	Eminescu	5
	The Interwar Years and the Communist Period	6
	The Kosovo Syndrome	9
	We Are a Nation, Not an Orthodox Nation	9
	The Federalist "Threat"	12
	From the "Geto-Dacians" to the "Medieval Romanian Nation"	14
	Opinion Polls	16
	The Textbook Scandal	19
	What I Believe	25
	Introduction to the First Edition	27
Chapter 1	History, Ideology, Mythology	31
	The First Entry into Europe	31
	Nationalism and Modernization	33
	A National Myth: Michael the Brave	39
	Different Projects, Different Histories	42
	The Glorification of the Past	46
	From Romanticism to the Critical School	51
	The Junimist Paradigm: Detachment from History	54
	The Autochthonist Reaction	59
	Impossible Objectivity	63
	Communist Discourse: The Anti-national Phase	70
	Communist Discourse: Recovering the Past	73
	Communist Discourse: The Exacerbation of Nationalism	77
Chapter 2	Origins	83
	Some Principles	83
	Roman Times	85
	Dacians and Romans: A Difficult Synthesis	89
	The Dacians Get Their Own Back	96
	Class Struggle in Dacia	101
	The Dacian Moment of Communism	102
	The Slavs, an Oscillating Presence	106
	The Nation: Biological Organism or Social Community?	110
Chapter 3	Continuity	113
	A Historiographical Paradox: The Area Where the Romanian People Was Formed	113
	North and South of the Danube: A Possible Compromise?	114
	The Consolidation of Romanity North of the Danube	119
	The Communist Years: Ideological Imperatives and Archeological Arguments	121
	The Romanian State during the "Dark Millennium"	124
	Conclusions: Archeology, Linguistics, and Politics	125
Chapter 4	Unity	129
	Transylvanians, Wallachians, Moldavians... or Romanians?	129
	Rivers and Mountains	132
	Historical Unity: Ebb and Re-elaboration	133
	Communism: The Myth of Unity at Its Zenith	138
	In Search of the Romanian Soul	143
	A Fluid Synthesis	149
Chapter 5	The Romanians and the Others	153
	"He to Whom Foreigners Are Dear..."	153
	Defenders of the West	155
	Separation from the East	158
	The French Myth	160
	The German "Countermyth"	162
	Communist Mythology	165
	Post-revolutionary Reference Points	168
	Three Sensitive Files: The Gypsies, the Hungarians, and the Jews	170
	Friends and Opponents: A Historical Game	174
	The Plot against Romania	175
	The Imperial Temptation	177
	Competing Rights: Nations, Borders, Minorities	180
	The Fourth World Power	183
	What the "Others" Say about the Romanians	184
Chapter 6	The Ideal Prince	189
	Heroes and Saviors	189
	The Composition of the National Pantheon	191
	Death to the Boyars: The File on Ioan Voda	195
	"Why Do You Not Come Back, Lord Tepes...?"	199
	The Dynastic Myth	200
	A Second Dynasty?	205
	Feminine Mythology: Queen Marie	207
	Interwar Saviors	210
	Legionary Mythology	213
	From Balcescu to Gheorghiu-Dej	214
	From Burebista to Ceausescu	219
Chapter 7	After 1989	227
	Rupture or Continuity?	227
	Always United?	230
	The Methodology of Forgetting	232
	The Freedom to Say Anything	235
	A Moment Which We Must Get behind Us: Mythological Blockage	236
	Conclusion	239
	Notes	241
	Selected Bibliography	259
	Glossary	263
	Index	279

Editorial Reviews

Examines historical culture and conscience in 19th- and 20th-century Romania, concentrating on the impact of the national ideology on history. Deconstructs the entire Romanian historiographic system and demonstrates the increasing acuteness of national problems in general, and in particular the exploitation of history to support national ideology. Includes a glossary. Author information is not given. First published in Romanian by HUMANITAS, Bucharest, 1997. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews