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Transition, tradition, and nostalgia; postsocialist transformations in a comparative framework
1Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle, Germany. hann@eth.mpg.de
Collegium Antropologicum
|February 9, 2013
Summary
This study examines how societies construct tradition after major historical changes, exploring nostalgia for socialism in post-socialist states by considering identity alongside economic factors.
Area of Science:
- Socio-cultural Anthropology
- Historical Sociology
Background:
- Limited theoretical work on "transition" and "tradition" in anthropology.
- Application of "transition" to post-socialist Eastern Europe often overlooks complexities, leading to "transformation processes" terminology.
- Influence of "invention of tradition" concept on understanding societal practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how societies, particularly elites, construct traditions following historical ruptures.
- To analyze the role of nostalgia in post-socialist societies.
- To compare perceptions of the past in contexts of gradual vs. abrupt social change.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of societal perceptions of the past.
- Focus on elite group constructions of tradition.
- Examination of nostalgia in post-socialist states.
Main Results:
- Societies construct various traditions after historical caesurae.
- Nostalgia for socialism requires examining identity and collective identity, not just material factors.
- Gradual social change (Britain) contrasts with sharp discontinuities (20th-century empires/states).
Conclusions:
- Understanding post-socialist nostalgia necessitates a nuanced approach to identity.
- The construction of tradition is a dynamic process influenced by historical context.
- Anthropological theories of transition and tradition require further development.
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