National Authenticity Research Articles

Border-making as illiberal politics

Abstract Radical Right-wing populism frequently involves ‘divide and rule’ strategies as a means to attain and consolidate political power. In the cases of Viktor Orban’s political regime in Hungary and Donald Trump’s four-year presidency (and its aftermath), we find a pronounced attempt to create narrative hegemony of a sense of nation built upon Christian civilization and foundationalist understandings of national identity. Moreover, both cases reveal processes of social border-making that are reflected in norming and the creation of distinctions based on degrees of national authenticity. Applying an ontological security and critical borders studies approach, this paper will specifically focus on the different ways in which border-making processes, or bordering, are implicated in the exercise of illiberal political power in the Hungarian and US cases. Despite many similarities, the actual mobilization of popular support reflects local conditions and has resulted in rather different political outcomes.

ISLAMIC IDENTITY AND NATIONAL IDENTITY: CONTEXTS OF RELATIONSHIP

This article reveals the role of Islamic identity in strengthening the national identity of Kazakhstan. The foundations of Islamic identity are considered, as well as its relationship with the national idea of the concept of building a Kazakhstani society. The authors come to the conclusion that the Turkic cultural and communicative background has the potential to form an identity model based on historical and axiological continuity, as well as the potential to prevent ethno-religious, linguistic, cultural conflicts. In addition, the study undertakes an analysis of the impact of cultural globalization on the formation of models of Kazakhstani religious and national identity. In addition to the risks of blurring traditional cultural boundaries in favor of the ideas of Eurocentrism, cultural globalization can contribute to the process of cultural and ideological creativity with the obligatory preservation of national authenticity. Kazakhstani national identity is characterized as a civic identity that carries the installations of the national idea, which is based on the historical past and the axiological guidelines determined by it. Islamic identity in the secular context of Kazakhstan is represented by its own model, based on both the ethical and spiritual values of Islam and the national idea.

О стратегии художественного перевода (на материале узбекской прозы)

The article presents the results of the study on the specificity of the translation strategy chosen by N.V. Vladimirova, a famous Uzbek philologist and translator. The research aims to prove that the translation strategy is a multi-level concept, which implies the algorithm of translator's actions, including thoughtful choice of the text genre, the use of one-level translation form, appreciation of artistic and esthetic value of the text, reliable reconstruction of personage image in literary translation, in particular, psychological portraying, and national authenticity of literary work representation, revealed in the unity of its form and content. The analysis of N.V. Vladimirova's translations of the Uzbek stories Novvoy qiz (Baker Girl) by Chulpan and Uloqda (On Ulak) by A. Kadyri demonstrated the application of this strategy. It was revealed that the dominant translation tactics used by N.V. Vladimirova, was transformation (replacement, omission, adding, transposition). National authenticity and emotional mode of the original are shown to be preserved due to the use of this tactics. The description of translation strategies applied by other well-known translators is viewed as a research perspective. It will contribute to revealing similarity and differences in literary text translation, thus enabling the understanding of the trajectory of translation schools development in a particular period.

NATIONAL TRADITIONS IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF UKRAINIAN MODERNISM OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY

The national identity of Ukrainian architecture in the early 20th century manifested itself in the formation and development of the style of Ukrainian Modernism. This style was formed and spread in different regions of Ukraine as an original national style based on modern European achievements. Today, the issues of preserving its independence and national authenticity in architecture have become very important for Ukraine. Understanding the architectural style based on national traditions can guide the future development of Ukrainian architecture. The article considers Ukrainian Modernism in the context of general cultural developments. It provides a general description of the style of Ukrainian Modernism in the early 20th century, with an indication of the geographical locations where it developed and the main features of Ukrainian culture in the studied period. Theoretical and empirical research methods are used in this article, including a graphical analysis of the overall composition of buildings and their architectural details. The influence of Ukrainian Art Nouveau on the further development of Ukrainian architecture is explored, highlighting the relevance of national identity in architecture. The novelty of the study is the focus on the generalization of morphological features for the formation of a national style. The research can contribute to the revival of the national identity of Ukrainian culture at the present stage. Today, the study and analysis of national features of historical architectural heritage are important for Ukrainian society, as the post-war reconstruction of Ukrainian cities might be based partly on national authenticity in the figurative design of buildings, squares, and ensembles.

Between past and future ruins: Post-Ottoman Niš in the album of Knez Milan Obrenović

While historians of Southeast Europe have recently increasingly turned to photographs as primary sources, this article reads a late 19th century photographic album not as an (objective) representation of a city, but as a carefully constructed visual narrative with afterlives of its own. The album, created upon the annexation of the city of Niš from the Ottoman Empire, produces multiple temporalities: the “recurring” and “timeless” national authenticity of the village, shown through costumes and church ruins, is contrasted with the images of the city, which the album constitutes as “old” and photographs as “future ruins.” The latter serves to establish a temporal break between the Ottoman past and the pending Serbian modernization project. Today, the album embodies two distinct afterlives. First, the Ottoman city—and the Empire itself—which the album proclaims “dead,” continues to live only as an object of photography. Second, the album today represents an afterlife of the foundational ideologies and images of post-Ottoman nation-making in and beyond Serbia. The two afterlives are not without contradiction: even though it is used to proclaim the empire “dead,” the album represents an ambivalent material afterlife of the empire in the present (Walton, 2019), while the ambivalence of photography as a medium itself opens avenues for readings beyond the prescribed.

Ireland, Literature, and the Coast: Seatangled by Nicholas Allen

<i>Ireland, Literature, and the Coast: Seatangled</i> by Nicholas Allen

Modernising the theoretical and practical aspects of national education system development

The purpose of scientific exploration is to determine the factors influencing the processes of modernization of education in the national cluster. The task of the article is to characterize the socio-economic, political, and cultural elements of national development that influence the educational space, forming the basis for the implementation of innovative transformations in the practical learning activity and their prospects in the strategies of educational development. In addition, modernization of education occurs in the context of globalization challenges, which leads to a certain leveling of the national factor. However, it is the national characteristics that often become the fundamental elements identifying the educational identity of a state or region. The methodological arsenal through which the attempt is made to implement the objectives of the scientific article can be divided into a general scientific cluster (analysis, systematization, classification); elements of scientific-pedagogical discourse (pedagogical experiment, modeling); philosophical-scientific methods (dialectics, synergy) The optimal result of education modernization is to increase the efficiency of the educational system while preserving the national authenticity of the educational environment.

From The Hidden Face of Eve to AWSA Activism to Tahrir

From <i>The Hidden Face of Eve</i> to AWSA Activism to Tahrir

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ЕЛЕМЕНТІВ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ АВТЕНТИЧНОСТІ ЯК ІНСТРУМЕНТІВ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ ІДЕНТИФІКАЦІЇ УКРАЇНСЬКИХ БРЕНДІВ

Abstract. The purpose of the article is to define in a modernist sense the directions of using elements of national authenticity as tools of cultural identification of Ukrainian brands, with their further promotion and positioning on the domestic and international markets. The tasks of the article were: to justify the need to use elements of national authenticity in the conditions of martial law; identify consumer expectations from brand communications in the specified conditions; to investigate the peculiarities of using Ukrainian identities in advertising and brand design cases; evaluate positive business cases of Ukrainian brands in the context of cultural and ethnic positioning; analyze advertising and situational creatives for relevance; to offer a set of identification tools for the formation of programs of recognition, consumer loyalty and differentiation in the market. When writing the article, the following research methods were used: abstract-logical (when forming the concept of using elements of national authenticity as tools of cultural identification of Ukrainian brands); systematization and epistemological method (when assessing the identity of well-known global brands); statistical methods of data processing, methods of grouping and comparison, analytical methods (for evaluating the dynamics of the value of brands); methods of content analysis and Internet monitoring (to determine the effectiveness of the positioning of Ukrainian brands). The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the further deepening of theoretical provisions, the development of scientific and methodological foundations and practical recommendations for the further improvement of management processes for the implementation of elements of national authenticity in brand positioning. The specific scientific results characterizing the novelty of the conducted research are as follows: the situationally relevant scientific approach to the formation of brand identification programs, "rebuilding" from competitors and differentiation on the market has been improved; the algorithm for evaluating consumer expectations in brand communications was further developed. The practical significance of the obtained results is that the main theoretical propositions, generalizations and conclusions made by the authors have been brought to the level of specific methods and practical recommendations regarding: increasing the importance of the socio-cultural role of the brand and its integration into the common political and socio-economic context and the formation a positive image of a Ukrainian brand that shares the values of its customers. Key words: national authenticity, Ukrainian brands, cultural identification, brand strategies, identity, consumer behavior, consumer loyalty.

Futebol brasileiro: deleite estético e paixão intelectual

While football is part of Western culture, and not just of it, this sport develops with particularities according to each historical and social context. Part of this phenomenon are the interpretations formulated not only about it, but based on it, about the society in which it takes root. In the case of Brazil, this arises, among other aspects, in disputes over which features demarcate a certain national authenticity. Football-art coexists with interpretations that see in the game some minimalism in a technical moment, not without aesthetic expressiveness. This eventually turns into intellectual delight. This essay defends a cultural critique that considers the football dialectic as a modernizing movement of a peripheral country, while observing its expressive possibilities, but with some detachment that authorizes a comment which is not just laudatory. Football can have aesthetic expression and be material for art: literature, cinema, painting, theater etc. On the other hand, social criticism cannot despise the materiality of what happens inside the field, nor can it ignore what makes it up in its social roots: class, ethnicity, gender, generation and other devices which make up the work-of-sports in its expressiveness.

One identity, two flags: Christian nationalists, the Israeli flag and national authenticity

Although we commonly associate a national identity with one flag—its own—some nationalists express their identities with two. In recent years Christian nationalists in the United States and South Korea have been flying the Israeli flag alongside their own. We posit that their symbolic agendas are focused more on domestic issues than foreign policy. Christian nationalists endeavor to overturn the official variants of their respective national identities which embrace pluralism and secularism. They signal their authentic nation by flying the Israeli flag alongside their own in order to convey biblicality. By symbolically setting themselves apart from their non-pious compatriots these nationalists are promoting an alternative, multi-tiered national identity which situates religious Christians at the top and all others underneath.

The Transnational Mexican Renaissance: Mexican–American Jewish Women Crafting National Authenticity

The Transnational Mexican Renaissance: Mexican–American Jewish Women Crafting National Authenticity

FORMS OF SYNTHESIS OF ARTS OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE

The article examines the synthesis of arts on the example of Chinese architecture. General historical questions of the development of Chinese culture and various arts during historical evolution are raising. Philosophical and religious positions of culture are distinguishing, which are identifying with the development of art. The question arises of the lack of a full analysis of ancient Chinese art for all types of artistic creativity that were developing during cultural development and formation: architecture, painting, calligraphy, music, sculpture, dance, and so on. A number of scholars who have developed methods of approaches to the systematization and study of the synthesis of the arts of ancient Chinese culture throughout its development are presenting. A number of techniques in painting and calligraphy that have a direct impact on the formation of the Chinese architectural environment are analyzing. These methodical conclusions can be useful in planning the activities of various organizational departments of architectural education and science. Problem statement: it became necessary to analyze and describe the methods and principles of organizing forms of art synthesis in Chinese architecture. Objective of the article: analyze the impact of forms of art synthesis in Chinese architecture. There is describing that the most important art form in China is painting. It is thanks to its compositional, color and harmonic laws that the general cultural world of ancient China is building. Color relationships, combinations with nature - all this through painting builds the canonical laws of architecture, music, dance, calligraphy, etc., taking into account national authenticity. It becomes the central core of the synthesis of Chinese art, generating its various forms for individual regions. In architecture, the action of forms of synthesis of Chinese arts is embodying through the organization of plasticity of the building, interior and exterior space, the ratio of small and large forms, and the location of accents. Experienced predecessors should be a role model for modern architects and artists. The combination of long-standing traditions of "synthesis of arts" with modern production technologies, as well as creative ideas of architects and artists of the XXI century can give new vectors of development of Chinese architecture and art science.

Hungarian youth organizations in Transylvania: An interpretive framework

The academic interest in right-wing populism and conspiracy theories has significantly grown in the past years. Hungarian political changes in the past decade have also gained attention, while common features of populism and conspiracy theories are rather neglected. This paper analyses a slice of Hungarian political discourse in order to shed light on populist and conspiratorial rhetoric, especially on the construction of national authenticity.

Status, imitation, and affective dissonance in international relations

This article explores the interplay of status, imitation and affective dissonance in international relations. Some states and nations selectively imitate others to correct perceived status deficits. Over time imitation can diminish ideals of group distinctiveness and independence from models and norm-setters, stimulating a condition we term affective dissonance. This complex of processes underlies some tensions in contemporary world politics. We apply the propositions to case studies of Russia and China whose leaders assert themselves as the principal loci and prescribers of national authenticity.

Ломка ономастических стереотипов в онлайн-играх телефонного формата (на примере игры «Верховный Мандарин»)

The aim of the work is to identify the factors of national stereotypes destruction and onomastic formulas in online games of the telephone format (on the example of the game “Supreme Mandarin”). The relevance of the research lies in the fact that the analysis of the anthroponymy and ergonymy of online games allows us to judge the place of the national and international in the gaming space, and therefore in the minds of our contemporaries. We use structural and se-mantic methods of onomastics analysis, etymological analysis, and the psychological method of participatory observation. The scientific novelty consists in the collection of new linguistic materi-al (anthroponymy and ergonymy of the online game “Supreme Mandarin”) and its analysis from the standpoint of the proper names correspondence of the setting to the nationally oriented formulas for naming persons. We reveal that the programmed system of assigning game names, as well as the names of characters, supports and simultaneously destroys the authenticity of the game’s time and space. The setting is invaded by foreign or distorted ethnically oriented formulas for naming faces, parts of characters. The strengthening of breaking stereotypes “outerly” is due to the choice of gamers (in broad sense of the term) game names, ergonomics (alliance designation) without the intervention of the system. We determine that at the same time gender correlation is lost, stability and national authenticity of the personal name are eroded, and the fashionable ideas of communities dominate. Conclusions: analysis of anthroponyms and ergonomics of the game “Supreme Mandarin” shows violations of a number of nominative traditions: the ritual of naming and changing the name, ethnic onyms marking, gender identity. The violation of the authenticity of time and space reflects the mixed mass culture of the 21st century.

«СУЧАСНИЙ ПОПУЛІЗМ» ЯК ЕЛЕМЕНТ ПРОБЛЕМНОГО ПОЛЯ СУЧАСНОГО ПОЛІТОЛОГІЧНОГО ДИСКУРСУ

В статі здійснюється спроба аналізу феномену «сучасного популізму» в ракурсі теоретичного плюралізму наукових розвідок сучасної західної та української політологічної науки. Автор простежує еволюцію популістського дискурсу в академічних колах, в рамках якого відбувається спроба наблизитись до категоріальної та концептуальної визначеності феномена «сучасний популізм». Спираючись на новітні західні та вітчизняні теоретичні конструкції автор статті пропонує власну дефініцію «сучасного популізму» – як політичного поліваріативного феномену, який в залежності від унікальної комбінації специфічних рис, може виступати в якості ідеології, методу політичної боротьби, суспільно-політичного руху, маніпулятивної технології, стилю політичної поведінки тощо, та робить спробу визначити «універсальні» детермінуючі чинники «сучасного популізму» – «акумуляція незадоволення», «гра на емоціях», «поляризація суспільства», «народовладдя», «політика симулякрів», «національна автентичність».

Europe as an Object of Desire: Ukraine between “Psychological Europe” and the “Soviet Mentality”

The article explores the idea of Europe in the Ukrainian national imaginary and its correlates in behavioral modes of modern Ukrainians. The conceptual tension exists between the imaginary “Us” (an affirmative “Ukraine is Europe”) and the real “Us” rooted in Soviet practices and mental attitudes. The main actors articulating the concept of Europe are distinguished: political elites/“officials”; cultural elites/“intellectuals”; civil society/“activists”; lay citizens/“electorate”. It is proved that for most Ukrainians Europe is not a value-in-itself; it is an empty signifier with variable content defined by divergent agendas. For Ukrainian politicians, declarative European integration is a geopolitical tool aimed at obtaining prestige/recognition and a protective umbrella of the EU, with no internal reforms by the European model. For cultural elites, “Europe” stands as a “civilizational standard” setting a framework for the search for national authenticity. Immanent Europeanness of the Ukrainian culture is proclaimed in the “frontstage” discourse, while in the “backstage” discourse, the lack of (self)recognition manifests itself through the symptom of being “more European than Europe”. Attempts “to acquire ourselves via Europe” are complemented with the desire “to rescue Europe via acquiring ourselves”. For citizens, “Europe” is a path to prosperity (“to build Europe at home”); yet, the content remains vague. A political struggle unfolds between the stakeholders of the captured state and public activists for the cornerstone ideas and principles, as well as for the trust of lay citizens as a political resource.

CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN LAUGHTER CULTURE: TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS

Nowadays Ukrainian laughter culture acquired principally new characteristics. We witness the outbreak of Ukrainian laughter which is reflected not only in the popularity of entertainment business but also in the influence of laughter culture at the potestary relations. This increases the relevance of discussions about the national authenticity of specific laughter practices. We think that these phenomena and problems deserve a thorough research. That is why the aim of this article is to reveal the semantics of contemporary Ukrainian culture by specifying its invariant elements and singling out the newest discourses. They are studied in the aspect of interaction between potestary and laughter practices. The research is based on some concepts of H. Bergson’s laughter theory and M. Bakhtin’s methodology of analysis of laughter culture, supplemented with the ideas of the contemporary culturological discourse about specific traits of Ukrainian laughter culture. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the work is in the fact that for the first time the invariant practices, peculiar to Ukrainian laughter are singled out in it; the features of its development in modern conditions are analyzed; the criteria of defining truly Ukrainian opposition of laughter culture to ideology are defined. Such contemporary laughter practices as “prikol” are given new interpretations. The phenomenon of Ukrainian laughter is a dynamic cultural fact which combines traditional and innovative practices. In the contemporary cultural space (as opposed to the previous epoch of laughter culture), there exist various laughter discourses, which differ in general cultural level, intellect, and political orientation of the laughter subjects. Based on these two discourses, the interaction of carnivalized politics and politicized laughter culture occur. On the one hand, it testifies to the processes of democratization of the society, but on the other hand it paradoxally, with the help of laughter practices, reflects the depressive condition of social consciousness.

Making Moves: Reading Saudi Social Change through Commercial Tabletop Games

While the promotion of “entertainment” has been a touchstone of policy changes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of late, most media and academic focus has been on large‑scale spectacles that reflect top‑down efforts of the Saudi state to effect economic and social change. In this article, I look to smaller‑scale cultural production – the nascent Saudi tabletop games industry – to understand how Saudi entrepreneurs evoke, adapt, or subtly contest state narratives to advance projects of self‑improvement, social reform, and above all commercial retail. Drawing on interviews with several board‑game entrepreneurs as well as several recent Saudi‑produced games, I note that these games draw on a sense of national authenticity to appeal to consumers – “Buy Saudi!” – as well as to provide an immersive gaming experience. However, the worlds constructed by these Saudi‑themed game narratives in turn suggest that pre‑existing inequalities of wealth and social influence heavily structure individuals’ chances in life, even if game developers themselves more directly echo the emphasis on self‑reliance embedded in recent state development narratives. Finally, while Saudi games entrepreneurs echo their counterparts worldwide in highlighting the low‑tech, “natural” community‑building properties of tabletop games, this narrative remains ever‑so‑slightly at odds with the futurism of state narratives that instead stress the importance of building a hi‑tech, digitally networked future for Saudi society.