Krzysztof Stala – författare

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain the countries in Central and Eastern Europe has undergone profound transformations. However, in most research on these changes the cultural dimension of transition has been neglected. The analyses have focused on ‘hard’, institutional factors such as legal coordination and economic readjustments, and less attention has been paid to complex dimensions such as lifestyles, habitus, value markers in relation to identity. In Cultural Transformations after Communism a group of experts aim to repair this deficiency, and present case studies from all of the former Communist countries that now are members of the EU. The researchers attempt to answer crucial questions about the constructions of a new identity in the region: Have the processes of democratization and opening the borders produced mentality changes and new value systems? Is there a convergence of values and cultures between the new and old EU-members? The authors address themselves to students and researchers, and the book is valuable reading for anyone with an interest in European integration, issues of national identity, and the politics and culture in the post-Communist countries.

What happens to peoples sense of belonging when globalization meets with proclaimed regional identities resting heavily on conceptions of religion and ethnicity? Who are the actors stressing cultural heritage and authenticity as tools for self-understanding? In Rethinking the Space for Religion, the authors aim at a broad discussion on how history and religion are made part of the production of narratives about origin and belonging in contemporary Europe. The contributors offer localized studies where actors with strong agendas indicate the complex relations between history, religion, and identity. The case studies exemplify how public intellectuals and academics have taken active part in the construction of recent and traditional pasts. Instead of repeating the simplistic explanation as a return of religion, the authors of this volume focus on public platforms and agents, and their use of religion as a political and cultural argument. The approach makes a nuanced and fresh survey for researchers and other initiated readers to engage in.