History Of Subject Research Articles

A Nation Yet to Be Discovered: The Romanian Reception of Keith Hitchins’s Studies on Modern Transylvania

This article attempts an assessment of Keith Hitchins’s legacy on the question of the intellectual origins and development of the Romanian nation in Transylvania from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century. I focus on how his works have been read by scholars of different generations in Romania, mostly through an analysis of the reviews his books received in both scientific journals and the popular press. Closely linked to the political context of the 1960s–70s and after 1989, I suggest his success in Romanian academia rested mainly on him being perceived as a foreigner who was able to write truthfully about one of Romania’s most intimate historical topics. It is my contention that the consequence has been a lack of critical engagement with Hitchins’s idea of nation, which led to a failure to assimilate the implicit constructivist approach at the core of his investigation.

Using iPad Making Comics for Teaching the “Fire and the Cave Men” for K-10 Students

This work explores the potential of iPads in creating educational comics to teach K–10 students the philosophical topics of “The Fire and the Cave Men”. The visual and interactive features of the iPad can assist educators in crafting captivating stories from intricate philosophical materials, thereby enhancing student understanding and engagement. The study highlights the iPad’s ability to demystify abstract ideas, foster innovation, and promote student collaboration through instructional comics. Incorporating visual arts and narrative also aids in establishing a deeper connection to environmental and historical topics, fostering an ecological attitude and viewpoint. The article concludes that iPads offer a versatile platform for enhancing educational outcomes through creative expression, with practical implications for educators and students alike.

Balancing Playability and Historical Accuracy in Game Design - Developing the Struve Geodetic Arc Mobile Game

Numerous digital games and media with historical themes aim to educate or engage audiences with heritage. When developing a historical video game, some of the most critical design decisions are centered around finding the balance between an accurate presentation of historical facts and engaging gameplay. This paper examines the game developer's role in selecting and presenting historical content through a case study of a mobile game development process. The design choices and developers' positions related to using historical facts are examined through thematic analysis of interview data and game design documents. Recurring themes in the data reveal a constant interplay between game features and historical content, supported by historical knowledge and technology. In small teams, individual developers often make crucial design decisions while performing multiple roles. As key findings, we report that the resourcing and timing of historical research significantly impacts developers' decisions, and note varying degrees of interest in historical accuracy within the development team.

Pictures in our heads: Politics of space, time, and memory in Polish virtual reality storyworlds

This article examines the entangled politics of space, time and memory in the virtual realm of extended reality (XR). The illiberal right-wing Law and Justice party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) has been investing in the creation and dissemination of virtual reality (VR) content centred on historical themes since 2018. By mapping out the experiential geography of populism in virtual places, the article aims to identify the main features of this new immersive mode of politics. The article argues three main points on space, time, and memory: (1) in VR, places are storylived spaces that are conceived and designed by their creators to elicit a specific sense of place, accompanied by specific emotions and thoughts; (2) from an experiential point of view, the past does not exist in VR, only the virtual present, turning VR into a contemporary technology of myth-making and myth-living; (3) since VR experiences become integrated into the autobiographical memory, VR is a technology that shapes the self. In effect, VR storyworlds establish places for the embodied rehearsal of cultural memory narratives.

Fouad AlKhatib’s Poetry in the Saudi Era: Between Historical Moment and Poetical Moment

The research introduces Fouad Al-Khatib and his later poetry during his Saudi era. It clarifies what is meant by “historical moment”, “poetical moment” and “the aesthetic moment” through studying the relationship between these moments in the Saudi poetry of Fouad Al-Khatib to determine how each of them affect the other. A preliminary thematic classification of Al-Khatib’s Saudi poems is provided to show the aesthetic effects of these moments in the artistic construction of the poem; since the idea of the research is based on the collaboration of history and poetry, or let us say: history and art, it looks at this part of the poetry assuming its validity to represent a time period and a spatial extent. “Place” is a highly regarded component of Fouad Al-Khatib’s poetry which deserves to be considered carefully, to understand its impact on the artistic construction of the poem. Indeed, it give a deserved attention to the study of Arabic poetry in the Arabian Peninsula, past and present. Because the place - any place - is fixed, even if its meaning changes, or its form changes; while time, on the other hand, is variable, so it is made dependent on space, because the dimensions of space are multiple, and time has one dimension. In order to reach a relevant result, we raise a number of questions: Did the historical theme present in Al-Khatib’s Saudi poetry refer to history or to poetry? Or mixes them? Is it possible for Al-Khatib’s Saudi poetry to be classified objectively in a way that reveals its merits? How does the language of spatial relations create concepts of place in his poetry? How did he create an imagined existence? How time and space were combined in his poetry to express his aesthetics through a specific poem? The research methodology is based on tracking and investigating the Saudi poetry of Fouad Al-Khatib only. The analytical textual approach based on the artistic vision is considered the most useful in conducting research. To achieve our goals of revealing the aesthetic effects. It has been found that the effectiveness of the historical moment and the poetical moment appears through: relying on it, recalling it, exaggerating it, generalizing it. It was also possible to discover the netting thread of Alkatib’s Saudi poetry, which is represented by the idea of “unity and renaissance” with multiple purposes. Even if the place is real, it has an imagined existence that emerges through the language of spatial relationships. Time and place were united in forming an aesthetic image that has its own characteristics through an analytical model of Al-Khatib’s poetry.

Power + Fashion

“Power dressing,” itself a women’s dress reform movement, as it came to be called in the 1970s, used to distinguish typical feminine dress styles and was seen as a necessary strategy for a more subdued image on par with the masculine, serious, and formal professional dress, namely the ubiquitous suit and tie. This new ‘career’ woman became visible by her appearance and choice of dress codes that reinforced her position as a businesswoman who was seriously committed to her work. But from the perspective of the first decades of the new millennium, power dressing and power and fashion have far wider meanings and ramifications. For Michel Foucault, power is a regulatory principle that is used to control social interactions and to impose structures that inform the ways in which we act and appear. In line with Foucault’s analysis, to dress is already to respond to tacit frameworks of power, and because it involves already accepted codes of visualisation and behaviour, to “power dress” is not simply to wield or enact power voluntarily but to succumb to it as well. Further, as this paper will reveal, power dressing can also be understood according to Foucault’s “technologies of self”, which sees the historical subject as both subject and object of a network of discursive forces that are considered normative as opposed to constructed. Power dressing still exists today but according to a more nuanced and multivalent configuration. It can also be thought of as a particular form of renunciation that facilitates an embodiment of power much as religious asceticism and privation is (purportedly) constitutive of a more authentic self.

The artistic reality of Salman Rudshi's novel "The Florentine Enchantress"

The article presents a reconstruction and analysis of Salman Rushdie's famous book "The Florentine Enchantress". It is not very clear why she is so named, there are more significant figures in the novel, for example, Emperor Akbar. The question is raised about the integrity of artistic reality and the peculiarities of readers' understanding of the novel. In connection with this statement, the author recalls his distinction between two ways of constructing a modern work of art: in the first, the artist recreates the world opposed to him (including in some cases himself, but as alienated), in the second, he creates a reality reflecting the peculiarities of his own consciousness (this approach is called "private realism"). It is proposed to carry out a reconstruction that allows you to understand the work of art in terms of how it is constructed, what its author wanted to say, whether it is possible to reconstruct what he did, whether he succeeded in the idea, what his work was, etc. The implementation of this program results in an analysis of Rushdie's personality characteristics, as well as a description of the main tasks that he solves (reviving the story, entertaining readers, expressing one's own beliefs). Rushdie creates characters who live in two different realities ‒ historical and modern, as a result, history is partially distorted, and the characters acquire contradictory features. The techniques by which the artistic reality of the novel is created are analyzed in detail. The first technique is the identification of historical subjects with non‒historical ones, the second is the connection of storylines necessary for the author, the third is a technique widely used by Rushdie, not only to connect different lines and realities, but also for his other two purposes (entertaining readers and expressing his own thoughts) ‒ it's magic and fantasy. The question is considered why many readers do not understand the "Florentine Enchantress" well. There are two reasons for this. One is related to the very attitude of understanding: readers start reading Rushdie's works, believing that they are looking at an ordinary novel, but in fact we are talking about the genre of private realism. The second reason lies in the unpreparedness of readers to work with such complex material, which involves recreating a complete work and reality based on the images, storylines, themes and other expressive means offered by the author.

25 years of publishing "Knygotyra"

The first volume of "Knygotyra" ("Book Science") was published in 1961 under the title "Bibliotekininkystės ir bibliografijos klausimai" ("Aspects of Librarianship and Bibliography"). From 1970 onwards (beginning with volume 8), it adopted the new title "Knygotyra," along with a new double numbering system—1(8). Starting from volume 8(15), the publication was divided into two separate thematic editions: the first focused on historical subjects, and the latter on modern problems of bibliology, librarianship, bibliography, and informatics. During its 25 years of publication history, "Knygotyra" has published 256 research articles, 35 archival documents, and 25 book reviews. Most contributors to the edition come from the scientific and teaching staff of Vilnius State University and the main libraries of Lithuania. Additionally, contributors include individuals from Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, East Germany (GDR), Moscow, and Leningrad (the contributors are listed in Tables No. 1 and 2, with the subject index in Table No. 3). The greatest attention in the publication has been given to the history of the Lithuanian book. Future editions should focus more on the problems of book functioning in society, analysis of the external appearance of books, statistics, etc. In Lithuania, "Knygotyra" was a pioneer in publishing articles on informatics and information activities. Not only librarians and book science researchers, but also historians and literary critics, have shown repeated interest in the archival documents published in "Knygotyra." The publication of archival documents should be expanded, as should book reviewing. "Knygotyra" is available in any Lithuanian library. Additionally, the Department of Exchange at the Vilnius University Library distributes it to 87 libraries across the Soviet Union and foreign countries. It is regularly sent to 34 libraries in socialist countries and 12 other foreign countries (including 10 libraries in the USA).

Discover Use Linen Back Baby Carriers in Ancient Egypt

Egyptological Research of the hieroglyphics of Linen back baby carriers specifically used in ancient Egypt, there is a depiction from a tomb dating back to 1500 B.C. that shows women carrying children in what appears to be white fabric carriers on their backs. Objectives of This article present a thought-provoking perspective on a possible link between ancient Egyptian design and ergonomics. Remember that this is an ongoing field of research, and new discoveries or interpretations may challenge or refine the presented ideas. Always strive to critically evaluate sources and consider alternative perspectives when exploring historical topics. Egyptians were resourceful people and linen was one of their most common textiles. And It's highly they used linen for a variety of purposes, including carrying children. However, since most Egyptians were farmers and laborers, they used simpler methods for carrying their children, such as slings made from scraps of fabrics. The Pharaohs of Egypt innovate the science of ergonomics and the design of infant carriers the value of our pictures for the earliest history of art. Definitive proof of photos ancient Egypt, the explicit evidence does of back baby carriers being used in ancient Egypt, even within the royal household. Considering the cultural context, practical advantages, and potential adaptations for royalty, further research holds promise in unlocking this fascinating aspect of childcare in a bygone era. This article is intended for research informational purposes and should be depended of research professional ergonomics medical advice. And this research paper is a starting point and can be further expanded upon by including specific citations, additional research findings, and personalized discussions based on your specific interests and areas of focus.

On the Place and Meaning of World History in the Historiosophy of N.Ya. Danilevsky

The historical and philosophical theory of cultural and historical types formulated in Danilevsky’s “Russia and Europe” is often interpreted as opposing the world history concept. This is contradicted by the fact that Danilevsky himself uses the world history concept as a working concept and, moreover, expresses his substantive judgements on this subject. In our opinion, this circumstance is not a contradiction on Danilevsky’s part. According to the approach outlined in the article, first of all “Russia and Europe” is a political treatise and the primary issue discussed in it (and the corresponding plan of consideration) is the problem of action and the subject of action. A cultural and historical type, fully developed, is formalized into a system of states or a state (with the former option being preferred by Danilevsky as providing more opportunities for development). Thus, they also act as subjects of action in themselves, but at the same time their system is also capable of acting as such (the system of international law, which in Danilevsky’s time is fundamentally limited, first as the system of international law of Christian nations and then, since the 1860s, of “civilized” ones). World history appears exclusively in terms of theoretical comprehension. It follows that it is impossible to act from world history — that is to speak on behalf of history. Danilevsky’s thesis itself appears to be complexly structured, disintegrating into two parts: the absence of such a historical subject as mankind and the impossibility to speak about “meaning in history” within the framework of positive scientific knowledge. It is noted that both parts of the thesis are autonomous and thus can be discussed separately, i.e. the refutation/rejection of one does not automatically mean the rejection of the other.

Painting the Past in the 19th Century: Materials, Methods, and Perspectives in Watercolour Replicas

This study focuses on the material characterisation of a collection of 19th-century watercolour replicas that reproduce ancient Egyptian mural paintings and illuminated decorations from medieval manuscripts. Non-contact analyses, including macro-X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fibre-optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), were employed to examine the composition of the painting materials, particularly the pigments. The findings are contextualised through archival research into 19th-century technical sources on historical painting and illuminating practices, as well as contemporaneous pigment catalogues that reported commercial prices. Ultimately, this research aimed to explore whether 19th-century artists engaged with historical material practices beyond mere visual representation in their depictions of historical subjects. The results obtained from the replicas of medieval illuminations are groundbreaking, as they challenge prevailing scholarly assumptions. Notably, the use of pigments such as minium and ultramarine blue, which were held in high regard during the Middle Ages, along with the use of chalk in the preparation of the support, suggest that, in an industrialised world where engagement with material culture was increasingly driven by commercial profit, some academic circles still sought to explore and preserve selected historical material practices in the art of painting.

Russian historical themes in computer games. Action RPG "Time of Troubles"

There is an interest in historical themes on the Russian computer games market. Particular attention should be paid to the growing popularity of games based on Slavic mythology, folklore, and alternative history. The developers — mostly domestic companies from all over Russia — off er to immerse yourselves in the Slavic epic, change the course of history, and simply become witnesses and participants in historical events. A computer game can be considered as an educational material allowing to learn in a game form about a diffi cult period of Russian history — the Time of Troubles of the early 17th century, marked by external intervention, cases of imposture, civil Russian-Polish and Russian-Swedish wars, and state crises. The game is an example of a novel educational methodology that combines the processes of teaching and education.

TANBURİ CEMİL BEY AND HIS MUSIC: GENIUS AND MELANCHOLY

Tanburi Cemil Bey is considered one of the greatest geniuses who grew up in the classical Turkish music tradition. However, his place in the history of national culture cannot be understood only through his actions and works in the musical field. To accurately determine its location, the conceptual apparatus of a comparative and multidimensional perspective is needed. For this reason, this study discusses the concept of genius attributed to Cemil Bey and investigates the possibilities of evaluating it as a form of historical subjectivity through the structure-agency tension in sociology. While doing this, the concept of melancholy, which has accompanied genius since ancient times, is also included in the analysis. These concepts have a deep-rooted unity that frames the medical, epistemological and philosophical norms of the Western tradition of thought. The closeness between these two concepts, which were mainly established on a medical and philosophical level in ancient Greek thought, is discussed in a wide range of symbols within the framework of the Saturn myth in Renaissance cosmology. By revising the ancient belief that the planets have a certain influence on the character and moral qualities of people, the personification of the melancholic genius is added to the myth of Saturn in the astrological context of Renaissance cosmology. Thus, it paves the way for the maturation of a separate poetic experience of melancholy that focuses on the existential dimension of melancholy as well as its physical symptoms. Romanticism intensifies the perception of melancholy as a sign of self-reflexivity that allows contemplation on the deepest aspects of existence and often symbolizes creative genius. It creates a context in which Cemil Bey can be read, like C. Baudelaire and W. Benjamin, who see themselves as residents of this unique field of subjectivity.

Architectural and artistic image of a historical and memorial complex in the Arkhangelsk Oblast

The study focuses on the problem of сreating a historical and memorial complex on the Mudyug Island in the Arkhangelsk Oblast. A new architectural and artistic image of the socio-cultural environment is created, which bears spirituality and perpetuates the memory of the last century’s tragic events. This is achieved by a wide toolkit of the architectural science, a review of literature sources review, and a theoretical generalization of the global experience. S.G. Shabiev conducted field surveys of memorial complexes not only in the Russian Federation, but also in Australia, Canada, China, and European countries. Moreover, an architectural and landscape analysis of the designed area was carried out, along with a study of potential tourist routes and connection to the continental part. The main elements of the site development were identified, with the center of the composition located in the Belaya Bashnya lighthouse area. As a result, the authors developed a conceptual design plan of the complex with an original master plan structure based on three lighthouse beams. These projected ground-level beams include standalone memorial facilities and culminate with the elements of a café, a viewing platform, and a pier on the Dvina Bay shore. All the beams also comprise well-maintained fields, small architectural forms, open-air exhibition spaces, and concert venues for literary events on the historical themes of the complex. Furthermore, the conceptual design plan provides for the construction of a 125-place hotel next to the lighthouse. The study demonstrates an unparalleled architectural and planning solution on the basis of innovative techniques using abstract spaces of the museum complex. These spaces represent sculptural forms, artistically reflecting historical events of the island.

Historia, cuidados y género: discusiones y agendas futuras para la investigación historiográfica

The article presents a general, though not exhaustive, overview of the notion of care and its presence and relevance in gender historiography, examining how historical research can inform and shape new discussions. A bibliographic and narrative review methodology is used, comparing selected studies based on their contributions and scope. Given that care is a transdisciplinary issue with significant heuristic potential, both historical topics and those from other branches of the humanities and social sciences are considered. Care is understood here both as an affective and a labor disposition, and it is from these dimensions that the main debates and problems are presented, focusing specifically on those that have had the greatest presence in gender and history studies: domestic work, feminized professions that care for others, affective communities, and maternal love. In the context of the current care crisis, it is concluded that the topic needs to be viewed broadly and its contributions revalued from a critical gender theory perspective, also considering a historiographic perspective sensitive to contexts and capable of interpretive flexibility. The article focuses on the main academic discussions held in North America and European countries, aiming to contribute to understanding the theoretical and applied scope of care and acknowledging that there is still much ground to cover. The conclusions offer an overview of the thematic lines and theoretical assumptions that could enrich future historiographical research agendas on care.

THE OTTOMAN SIEGE AND CONQUEST OF SHKODRA IN THE 15TH CENTURY ACCORDING TO THE JOURNAL GLAS CRNOGORCA (VOICE OF MONTENEGRO)

The paper examines the appendix on the Ottoman siege of Shkodra in 1474, which was published in two issues of the weekly newspaper Glas Crnogorca (Voice of Montenegro) in December 1896. The appendix is a translation of an article written by the Italian sub-lieutenant Eugenio Barbarich, which was published in the magazine Rivista Militare Italiana at the end of 1896. The historical theme was inspired by the marriage between the heir to the Italian throne and the daughter of the Montenegrin ruler, which resulted in a political alliance between the Kingdom of Italy and the Principality of Montenegro. Under these circumstances, it was important to remind the citizens of the united Venetian and Montenegrin armies that defended Shkodra against Ottoman attacks in the 15th century. The two countries’ insistence on forming an alliance can be explained by the need to prove continuity and draw parallels between historical and contemporary events. It is for this reason that this article has been written, which must be examined to determine the extent to which it provides accurate historical information about a significant event of the 15th century.

THE EMERGENCE OF WOMEN AS HISTORICAL SUBJECTS: DECONSTRUCTING THE HISTORY OF SPAIN FROM TEXTBOOKS

The work we present is not an analysis of the presence of women in textbooks, a very fruitful historiographical line from which magnificent works have been published in recent years. The methodology is logical-argumentative and qualitative, where the written and visual contents of the textbooks are the pretext to rethink/deconstruct History in the light of the gender perspective. We start from an evolutionary analysis of the presence of women in the current manuals of History of the second year of Baccalaureate, for the period from 1931 to 1975, to understand the keys to the inclusion/exclusion of the female collective in the historical narrative and to propose how the conception of citizenship present in the LOMLOE can become a challenge and an opportunity to rethink and, Consequently, to rewrite a subject that continues to be largely articulated from androcentrism, patriarchy and classism, although its main mission is to develop the critical thinking of students and prepare them to think historically and act socially. We present, for this, a conceptual proposal that necessarily starts from an epistemological deconstruction of history as a science. For this, we have taken as a reference a representation of the research published in recent years that make visible the significance of women in the historical story, with the aim of outlining the thematic lines that allow us to move towards history free of androcentric and patriarchal biases, where women are integrated and made visible as historical subjects.

ANTIN RUDNYTSKY'S OPERA "ANNA YAROSLAVNA — QUEEN OF FRANCE": COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE AMERICAN AND UKRAINIAN FORMATS OF PRODUCTION

The author devotes this research to the phenomenon of the creation by Antin Rudnytskyi's the opera "Anna Yaroslavna — Queen of France", having used historiographical and iconographical sources, its artistic productions in American and Ukrainian formats. The relevance and necessity of taking into account the historical national theme in general and the opera in particular in today's socio-cultural realities are outlined. The role and place of the Ukrainian diaspora in the preservation of national identification of cultural property and artistic heritage in the conditions of stay in different countries of the world is clarified. Attention is focused on returning to the treasury of national musical culture and unjustifiably forgotten names and works of Ukrainian emigrant artists, one of their bright representatives is rightfully considered the American composer of Galician origin Antin Rudnytskyi. The literary background of the opera is analyzed and systematized being based on the peculiarities of the historical, sociocultural development of Kyivan Rus and France at the end of the early Middle Ages; the prerequisites for creating an opera are outlined, emphasizing the main storylines in the development of its dramaturgy; the author studied memoirs, reviews and publications on its production in American and Ukrainian formats. The article describes the differences in living conditions, the way of existence of Kyivan Rus and France during the specified era, emphasizing the peculiarities of their contemporary culture, lifestyle, and traditions. Attention is drawn to the choice of the effective vector of Yaroslav the Wise's activity in politics, diplomacy, interstate family ties with the leading royal courts of Europe, which contributed to the highest development of Kyivan Rus at that time, strengthening the princely secular power. On the contrary, the author emphasized the modest position of medieval fragmented France in the geopolitical development of Europe with the subordination of secular royal power to the Pope. The motivation of Antin Rudnytskyi's appeal to historical themes and the prerequisites for writing the opera "Anna Yaroslavna - Queen of France" as a "heartfelt confession" of the emigrant Maestro is determined. Two storylines in opera drama are analyzed — social-historical and domestic-psychological, with arguments for their conceptual solution. The reasons for the concertstage format of the implementation of the opera by the forces of the Ukrainian diaspora in America and the impossibility of its further stage life in the country are clarified. The conceptual production of the work in the National Opera of Ukraine in the stage format, the reasons for the shortcomings of its mise-en-scène development in connection with errors in the director's analysis and the creative idea of the performance are studied. The necessity of a thorough approach to the interpretation of historical operas of national themes with the use of large-scale monumental mass scenes is proven. Prospects for further scientific research on the given topic in the conditions of modern possibilities of musical theater and achievements of director's opera practice are predicted

Negotiating local linguistic and epistemic realities through critical language pedagogy (CLP) in Pakistan

ABSTRACT With critical pedagogy (CP), teachers and students are empowered to disrupt the dominant ideological structures that tend to dehumanise people and impose oppressive historical consciousness upon them as historical subjects. Inspired by CP, over the last three decades critical language pedagogies have been conceptualised to promote social justice and counter privileged ideologies. This study examined university teachers’ pedagogical engagement with students’ local multilingual resources and epistemologies in the Remedial English classes at Pakistani universities. The study made use of theoretical insights such as coloniality, raciolinguistic perspectives and critical scholarship on multilingualism. Findings suggest that some teachers maintained the linguistic and epistemic hierarchy that favoured English, American/British accent, Anglo-western literature and culture, while other created multilingual and epistemic spaces where students’ local languages, nativized English varieties, culture and values could find a place. Furthermore, the Remedial English course perpetuated a gap between word and world by ignoring students’ contemporary concerns, such as discursive (values, culture) as well as material (unemployment, corruption, human rights, environmental degradation, etc.) factors. Some teachers’ use of bottom-up agency to counter foreign literature and a monoglossic model of instruction suggests how some teachers with a critical pedagogical attitude can empower their students to reclaim their historical and social roots.

Renationalizing the Werebear: The Postcolonial Stakes of ‘Lokis’ (Prosper Mérimée, 1869) and Lokis (Janusz Majewski, 1970)

This article addresses the adaptation of the 1869 French novella ‘Lokis’, by Prosper Mérimée, as a feature-length film in Poland in 1970 by Janusz Majewski, from a postcolonial and cognitive cultural perspective. The production marked the story’s hundredth anniversary, but also fell within the so-called ‘Small Stabilization’ under the authoritarian Gomułka regime. A foreign literary adaptation was ‘safe’ material for coded messages, as is typical of Socialist-era Polish cinema as well as of the Gothic. The figure of the werebear can be a foil for discussing defective masculine heroism in a familiar Polish nationalist mode, but also for recuperating a changing concept of Lithuania, where the story is set, as adapted from the pro-Polish, French-origin source material in a self-orientalizing process. This adaptation thus bespeaks a hidden and specifically cultural imperialism. Struggles over the origins, membership, and ownership of Polish culture are visible through certain innovations in Majewski’s work, including both new literary inclusions and the film’s English subtitling. While the film as received in Polish is not an unalloyed national self-projection, on Poland’s part, as a nuance-free historical subject, its packaging for global Anglophone audiences at least tries to suggest otherwise.