Transitional Politics of Memory: Political Strategies of Managing the Past in Post-communist Romania |
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Authors: | Mihai Stelian Rusu |
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Institution: | 1. Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Str. Lucian Blaga, Nr. 2A, Sibiu 550169, Romaniamihai.rusu@ulbsibiu.ro |
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Abstract: | AbstractThe article develops a typology of political strategies of coming to terms with the past as a theoretical frame of reference against which it assesses the transitional politics of memory pursued in Romanian post-communist society. It argues that after an initial ‘elusive’ strategy based on a politics of amnesia gave way to a confrontationist stance promoting a politics of anamnesis, the communist past was both politically criminalised and symbolically demonised. The article concludes by arguing that the failure of the ‘mastering the past’ paradigm epitomised by the 2006 Tism?neanu Report needs to give way to a ‘normalising’ paradigm of remembering Romanian communism. |
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