tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post1485884694573483790..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: Tweeting Communism (for Sam Hardy)Paul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-62676583199399854262014-01-19T20:37:46.168-08:002014-01-19T20:37:46.168-08:00I was referring to the initiators' chosen topi...I was referring to the initiators' chosen <b>topic theme</b> as (IMO): "Too broad a generalization and a pretty insulting topic" and explaining why I feel that to be the case. Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-69033956967267333402014-01-19T12:46:44.730-08:002014-01-19T12:46:44.730-08:00In terms of the factory workers, I was rather thin...In terms of the factory workers, I was rather thinking *if Communism was relevant* (and off the top of my head).<br /><br />Obviously Communism and Russia are not the same thing, and the sculpture was not toppled because of Communism. The (possibility of) reconceptualisation of symbols of Communism as symbols of Russia (or the potential for that, depending on the mix of politics of those involved) is relevant and interesting. For example, as far as I know, they didn't destroy other (more) identifiably Russian targets.<br /><br />It's not my session and I'm only trying to say that it might not be a travesty. I don't understand the need to assume the worst. The session covers "how the heritage of the communist period is received" and "the role of heritage in the forging of new identities at a local, national, and trans-national level", which would include everything without any prejudgement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-33244629968551793862014-01-19T08:41:00.583-08:002014-01-19T08:41:00.583-08:00"construction of identity amongst Polish fact..."construction of identity amongst Polish factory workers on the Isle of Man" ...<br /><br />... and the connection there with the "fall of Communism" would be what, precisely? <br /><br />That is exactly the kind of labelling I was talking about. I'd say in that case, the expansion of the EU is the main context of any "identity building" of that group. <br /><br />Was the Lenin sculpture toppled because of "Communism", or more because the protest is about Russia? They obviously are not the same thing. <br /><br />What you suggest involves the same distorting stereotypes as I was writing about, harking back to a long-vanished world, and ignoring more immediate factors. <br /><br />Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-22217388932243030372014-01-19T08:17:42.239-08:002014-01-19T08:17:42.239-08:00If your expectation of the session turns out to be...If your expectation of the session turns out to be the reality, it will be disappointing, but I'm not sure we have to expect so little. They could include a paper on the construction of identity amongst Polish factory workers on the Isle of Man.<br /><br />I don't see why it's wrong to organise a session around Communism, rather than states or communities or types of material culture. And it makes it easier to get a session of interesting papers, rather than a session of any and all proposed papers.<br /><br />I know that the "fall of Communism" is part of the theme, but I don't think that means they see it as a homogeneous process. A session on capitalism wouldn't assume that it was a singular phenomenon.<br /><br />The (resistance to) gentrification of areas on and around the Berlin Wall (and its dismantling); ultranationalists' toppling of Lenin statues in the midst of Maidan protests in Ukraine... They're interesting issues, concerning the treatment of communist heritage in ongoing events.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com