Imagining the Nation: History, Modernity, and Revolution in Latvia

Daina Stukuls Eglitis

Published by Penn State University Press 2002

Imagining the Nation

History, Modernity, and Revolution in Latvia

Daina Stukuls Eglitis

In the series Post-Communist Cultural Studies

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780271023816

Overview
Contents

About this book

Every epoch produces its own notions of social change, and the post-Communist societies of Eastern Europe are no exception. Imagining the Nation explores the fate of contemporary Latvia, a small country with a big story that is relevant for anyone wishing to better understand the nature of post-Communist transitions.

As Latvia and other former Soviet-bloc countries seek to rebuild and transform their societies, what is the central dynamic at work? In Imagining the Nation, Daina Stukuls Eglitis finds that in virtually all aspects of life the guiding sentiment among Latvians has been a desire for normality in the wake of the "deformations" that marked the half-century of Soviet rule. In seeking to return to normality, many people look to the West for models; others look back in time to the period of Latvian independence from 1918 to 1940 before the years of Soviet domination. Ultimately, the changes in Latvia and other Eastern European countries are closely tied to a vital reimagining of the past, as the logic of progress long associated with "revolution" is amalgamated with nostalgia for what is gone. The radiant utopias of revolution give way to widely shared aspirations for a return to the normal in politics, place names, private property, and even gender relations.

Eglitis draws upon published and unpublished documents, campaign posters, maps, and monuments, as well as interviews with Latvians from all walks of life. The resulting picture of life in contemporary Latvia offers fresh perspective on a dilemma facing millions throughout the post-Communist world.

Author / Editor information

Eglitis Daina Stukuls :

Daina Eglitis is Assistant Professor of Sociology at George Washington University.

Reviews

“This book makes a significant, groundbreaking contribution to the study of Soviet and post-Soviet societies.”
—Walter C. Clemens, Jr., Slavic Review

“This well-documented study is a significant contribution to t he scholarly literature on postcommunist transition and includes a useful bibliography of Latvian- and English- language sources.”
—R. P. Peters, Choice

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Illustrations Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
1. (Re)Constructing Normality in Post-Communism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. From Opposition to Independence: Social Movements in Latvia, 1986–1991 Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	22
3. Normalizing Politics and Politicizing Normality Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
4. Transforming Boundaries: Space, Place, and Normality Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	129
5. (Re)Constructing Gender in Post-Communism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	186
6. Transformation and Normalization: A Conclusion to the Study Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	225
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	235
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	251
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	259

Language: English
Publisher: Penn State University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 280
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 21
- Images: 21
- Other: 21 illustrations
Keywords: Daina Stukuls Eglitis; 0-271-2393-7; History; Post Communist Cultural Studies Series; East Europe; Soviet-bloc countries; deformations; normality; West; Latvian independence; reimagining of the past; revolution; nostalgia; utopias; politics; place names; private property; gender relations; published; unpublished documents; campaign posters; maps; monuments; interviews

eBook

Published: September 8, 2002
ISBN: 9780271023816