Three Shades of Red: Power of Symbols or Soviet Legacy in Contemporary Inner Asian Capitals

Alexey V. Mikhalev

doi:10.4467/22999558.pe.21.009.14131

URBAN SPACE OF INNER ASIA IN TRAVELOGUES OF RUSSIAN ORIENTALISM IN THE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES

Human research of Inner Asia ◽

10.18101/2305-753x-2021-1-3-19 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 3-19

Author(s):

Palikova T. V. ◽

Keyword(s):

Travel Writing ◽

Urban Space ◽

Inner Asia

Статья представляет собой продолжение изучения восприятия «Иного» в рамках бинарности «Свой — Чужой» по ряду критериев, предпринятого нами в предшествующей публикации . Для подтверждения первоначальных выводов был существенно расширен ряд отечественных «travel writing» миссионеров, ученых, военных, публицистов и просто «экспедиционеров» XIX — начала ХХ в. Используя литературоведческую теорию жанра травелога, пограничного с документальной литературой (дневники, отчеты, воспоминания, записки, эпистолярии), автор при-ходит к выводу о ее возможном применении в исторических исследованиях и выделяет несколько тем, наиболее часто встречаемых в текстах путешественников: граница, пространство, город, который воздействует на всю чувственную сферу человека (зрение, обоняние, слух) одновременно, вызывая в большинстве случаев первоначальное неприятие, сменяющееся со временем привыканием, но не исчезающее окончательно.

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Homage to a New Town in an Old One: Dequel’s Bust of Pier Paolo Vergerio il Giovane

Ars & Humanitas ◽

10.4312/ars.13.1.248-263 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 248-263

Author(s):

Neža Čebron Lipovec

Keyword(s):

20Th Century ◽

Urban Space ◽

Collective Memories ◽

Contested Spaces ◽

New Town ◽

Parallel Memory ◽

Communist Ideology ◽

Socialist Realist ◽

Post War ◽

The Ideal

The concept of collective memory raises fundamental questions regarding the assessment of heritage, especially of built heritage in contested spaces. The simultaneous presence of different groups in conflict introduces into the space parallel memory discourses that can be recognised both in the built environment as well as in public sculpture, and both can be read as a symbolic marking of space (Veschambre, 2008). The urban space of northern Istria, where the Italian and Slovene communities have become intertwined throughout history, were drastically marked by the political and historic events of the mid-20th century. Post-war conflict-solving processes lead and an ongoing process of “ethnic metamorphosis” (Purini, 2010) in the region came to a peak when the majoritarian Italian-speaking population of the urban area emigrated, while the space was settled by newcomers from inner Slovenian regions and other Yugoslav republics. Tensions between Slovenes and Italians arose in the early 20th century, especially from the period of Fascist oppression and violence against the Slovene population. Nevertheless, the antifascist struggle united the two ethnic groups, specifically within the Communist ideology, so after WWII the area of the so-called Zona B of the Free Territory of Trieste was marked by the ideal of fratellanza, the brotherhood between Italians and Slovenes in Istria. A monument to this ideal was created by a sculptor from Capodistria, Oreste Dequel, who is unknown in the Slovene context. The sculpture represented the Protestant Bishop of Capodistria, Pier Paolo Vergerio il Giovane, a friend of the key Slovene Protestant Primož Trubar. Despite the then leading Socialist Realist aesthetics, the artist managed to intertwine in the artwork, using a subversive approach, several collective memories.

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Wroclaw and Ust-Kamenogorsk at the turn of XX-XXI centuries: historical memory and urban space

BULLETIN of the L N Gumilyov Eurasian National University Historical sciences Philosophy Religion Series ◽

10.32523/2616-7255-2021-135-2-10-25 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 135 (2) ◽

pp. 10-25

Author(s):

T. Waśkiel ◽

Keyword(s):

Urban Space ◽

Political Ideology ◽

Visual Memory ◽

Historical Memory ◽

Eastern Bloc ◽

The Political ◽

Social Constructs ◽

Independent State ◽

Communist Ideology ◽

The Creation

The disintegration and disappearance of the socialist camp (Eastern bloc of the proSoviet countries) from the political map in Europe gave impetus to the creation of a new format of inter-state relations. Similar processes took place on the territory of different republics of the former USSR. The disappearance of communist ideology led to a revival of national interests, which ended in a sovereign parade and the creation of independent state entities, including Kazakhstan. The aim of the research is to show the reflection of the change of communist ideology in the toponymical space of Wroclaw (Poland) and Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) as a farewell to Soviet history. The objects of the study are the cities of Wroclaw (Poland) and Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan), the subject of the research is the transformation of the visual and toponymical urban space. Particular attention has been paid to the street names with anthroponymic content. As a result of the analysis, the authors came to the conclusion that, despite such a geographical distance between chosen cities and states, there is a common past between them. The connecting thread uniting Wroclaw and Ust-Kamenogorsk was the “Soviet era” and the processes of eradicating Soviet social constructs. The toponymy of both cities was formed – to some extent – by the political ideology of the Soviet state. The processes of decommunization and de-Sovietization included the ideology of renewal and transformation, the destruction of the visual memory of the USSR. The toponymical space, both in Kazakhstan and in Poland, has acquired new names, reflecting the milestones of historical events previously not included in the national histories. The authors believe that the urbanonyms of the city should cause only positive reactions, reflect the historical content, carry a functional, educational value.

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Heritage and the Post-Socialist City: Social and Cultural Perspectives

Colloquia Humanistica ◽

10.11649/ch.2696 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maciej Falski ◽

Linda Kovářová

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Urban Space ◽

City Planning ◽

Memory Studies ◽

Social Practices ◽

Cultural Perspectives ◽

The Stability ◽

The One ◽

Symbolic Practices

Heritage and the Post-Socialist City: Social and Cultural PerspectivesThe paper is a presentation of the latest volume of Colloquia Humanistica. The leading subject of heritage in the post-socialist city is largely commented on with reference to three major questions: the interplay of city planning and identity issues; symbolic practices and semiotic shifts in urban space; social practices and the functioning of local social networks. Concluding remarks draw attention to the intersection of memory studies and politics, as well as the issue of (dis)continuity, which is crucial for the stability and security of societies on the one hand, and for efficient change on the other.Dědictví a postsocialistické město: sociologická a kulturní perspektivaPříspěvek je prezentací nejnovějšího čísla Colloquia Humanistica. Jeho hlavní téma dědictví v postsocialistických městech je z velké části komentováno s odkazem na tři hlavní otázky týkající se podoby: vztahu mezi městským plánováním a otázkami identity; symbolických praktik a sémiotických posunů v městském prostoru; a sociálních praktik a fungování místních sociálních sítí. Závěrečné poznámky poukazují na průnik studia paměti a politiky, stejně jako na otázku (dis)kontinuity, klíčové na jedné straně pro stabilitu a bezpečnost společnosti, a na straně druhé pro její efektivní změnu.Dziedzictwo i miasto postsocjalistyczne w perspektywie socjologicznej i kulturowejArtykuł jest prezentacją najnowszego numeru „Colloquia Humanistica”. Główny temat dziedzictwa w miastach postsocjalistycznych został przedstawiony w odniesieniu do trzech zasadniczych pól tematycznych: relacji między planowaniem miejskim a kwestiami tożsamościowymi, praktyk symbolicznych i zachowań semiotycznych w przestrzeni miejskiej oraz praktyk w kontekście tworzenia się lokalnych sieci społecznych. Wnioski wskazują na wpływ pamięci oraz polityki, jak też kwestii (nie) ciągłości, na stabilność i bezpieczeństwo wspólnot miejskich z jednej strony, jak też na ich skuteczne przemiany z drugiej.

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Homage to a New Town in an Old One: Dequel’s Bust of Pier Paolo Vergerio il Giovane

Ars & Humanitas ◽

10.4312/ah.13.1.248-263 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 248-263

Author(s):

Neža Čebron Lipovec

Keyword(s):

20Th Century ◽

Urban Space ◽

Collective Memories ◽

Contested Spaces ◽

New Town ◽

Parallel Memory ◽

Communist Ideology ◽

Socialist Realist ◽

Post War ◽

The Ideal

The concept of collective memory raises fundamental questions regarding the assessment of heritage, especially of built heritage in contested spaces. The simultaneous presence of different groups in conflict introduces into the space parallel memory discourses that can be recognised both in the built environment as well as in public sculpture, and both can be read as a symbolic marking of space (Veschambre, 2008). The urban space of northern Istria, where the Italian and Slovene communities have become intertwined throughout history, were drastically marked by the political and historic events of the mid-20th century. Post-war conflict-solving processes lead and an ongoing process of “ethnic metamorphosis” (Purini, 2010) in the region came to a peak when the majoritarian Italian-speaking population of the urban area emigrated, while the space was settled by newcomers from inner Slovenian regions and other Yugoslav republics. Tensions between Slovenes and Italians arose in the early 20th century, especially from the period of Fascist oppression and violence against the Slovene population. Nevertheless, the antifascist struggle united the two ethnic groups, specifically within the Communist ideology, so after WWII the area of the so-called Zona B of the Free Territory of Trieste was marked by the ideal of fratellanza, the brotherhood between Italians and Slovenes in Istria. A monument to this ideal was created by a sculptor from Capodistria, Oreste Dequel, who is unknown in the Slovene context. The sculpture represented the Protestant Bishop of Capodistria, Pier Paolo Vergerio il Giovane, a friend of the key Slovene Protestant Primož Trubar. Despite the then leading Socialist Realist aesthetics, the artist managed to intertwine in the artwork, using a subversive approach, several collective memories.

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Symbolic Politics and Contention in the Turkish Republic

The Oxford Handbook of Turkish Politics ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190064891.013.20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Senem Aslan

Keyword(s):

State Power ◽

Unintended Consequences ◽

Political Support ◽

Political Polarization ◽

Political Movements ◽

Symbolic Politics ◽

Turkish Republic ◽

Material Benefits ◽

The Relationship ◽

Symbolic Practices

This chapter examines how different state actors in Turkey have used symbolic practices to govern and transform society. Based on examples largely drawn from the single party era (1923–1950) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, it discusses three separate functions that symbolic practices serve. First, it analyzes the relationship between symbolic politics and legitimation of state authority and ideology. Second, it focuses on how symbolic politics can be used for coercive purposes, signaling state power and omnipresence. Finally, it examines the state’s efforts to use symbolism for cooptation purposes, communicating the material benefits that it provides to citizens in exchange for political support. Calling attention to unintended consequences, the chapter underlines how symbols usually generate contention and become a means of struggle between the state and dissident political movements. In the Turkish context, extensive use of symbolic politics has created hardened political identities, curtailing meaningful deliberation and undermining common norms. The Turkish example shows that symbolic politics can exacerbate political polarization by sharpening cultural contestation and invoking strong emotions in society.

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Plasticity of the neural coding metaphor: An unnoticed rhetoric in scientific discourse

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x1900133x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Author(s):

Giulia Frezza ◽

Pierluigi Zoccolotti

Keyword(s):

Discourse Analysis ◽

Neural Coding ◽

Scientific Discourse ◽

Convincing Argument ◽

Unified View ◽

Brain Behavior

Abstract The convincing argument that Brette makes for the neural coding metaphor as imposing one view of brain behavior can be further explained through discourse analysis. Instead of a unified view, we argue, the coding metaphor's plasticity, versatility, and robustness throughout time explain its success and conventionalization to the point that its rhetoric became overlooked.

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