National Identity of Romanians in Transylvania
Sorin Mitu, "Babes-Bolyai" University of Cluj,
Romania
"This book boldly challenges the traditional canons
and taboos of Romanian historiography, at a time when
innovation is much needed." - Millennium
"Mitu's work bring to the attention of Western
readers the aspirations and writings of a range of Romanian
writers and political activists, reveals the ways in
which national identity could be articulated in Eastern
European societies, and identifies the characteristics
ascribed to Romanians as they pressed for a share of
political power in Transylvania."
- American Historical Review
"Mitu's study, based on an impressive collection
of contemporary documents, is situated in the 'long
first half of the nineteenth century,' from the French
Revolution to the Revolutions of 1848... Overall, this
study constitutes and original and carefully crafted
contribution to our understanding of the multifaceted
process through which national identities are negotiated
in the public realm." - Slavic Review
This meticulously researched and elegantly written
book is the most authoritative study of the emergence
of modern Romanian identity in Transylvania during the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Based upon a plethora
of contemporary published sources, Mitu approaches national
identity from a variety of perspectives - from within
the Romanian community itself and their reaction to
the image others had of them.
The author sheds new light on the problems of self-evaluation
using a method he describes as "functional analysis"
to examine a complex set of ideologies and propaganda.
This approach helps the reader to understand the intricate
web of contemporary Romanian nationalism.
National Identity of Romanians in Transylvania
appeals to scholars of modern Romanian history, those
focusing on the Habsburg Monarchy and the study of modern
nationalism. The book is an important contribution to
the expanding debate on nationalism and national identity
from an East European perspective.
Contents
Introduction. Part I: Argument Part II:
Image of the self and image of the other Part III:
The negative dimension of the image of the self Part
IV: Between the good and the bad Part V: Historical
dimension of the positive image of the self Part
VI: Positive auto-image - basic data of the national
identity Part VII: Conclusion Bibliography
2001
314 pages
ISBN 978-963-9116-95-5 cloth $55.95 / €47.95 / £37.00
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