HISTORY AND HISTORICAL MEMORY

In: Nationalities papers: the journal of nationalism and ethnicity, Band 17, Heft 1, S. 68-72

Abstract

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE TREND AMONG MOSCOW AND LENINGRAD HISTORIANS TO DE-POLITICIZE HISTORY; SEEKING AUTONOMY FROM THE STATE, THEY FOCUS ON CIVILIZING SOCIETY. HE PONDERS THE FLIPSIDE--A DEHISTORIZATION OF POLITICS WHICH HE FEELS MUST ACCOMPANY THIS TREND IF CIVIL SOCIETY IS TO ESTABLISH A SENSE OF POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ELIMINATE ORTHODOXY. HE PROPOSES THAT THE NATIONALITY QUESTION IS A WAY OF NATURALLY IMPOSING LIMITS ON THESE TWO PROCESSES. A MEANS FOR SOVIET HISTORIANS TO REWRITE THE HISTORY OF THE U.S.S.R. INCLUSIVE THROUGH 2 REGIONAL MEMORY OF RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, LINGUISTIC POLICY, AND THE HISTORIES OF NATIVE INTELIGENTISIAS, BOTH CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL IS ALSO INHERENT.