Image, Europe, drama

• Authors: Mishel Pavlovski
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

By questioning the ways in which a supra-national European identity can be created in an environment of globalization, this article starts with the thesis that this concept faces problems which must be resolved first and foremost at the national level. By problematizing multiculturalism as a “utopian theory” which does not solve any problems at the practical level, and by viewing interculturalism as a potential danger to “smaller” cultures, this article identifies what it is that hinders the possible acceptance of the idea of a Europe without borders by analyzing plays by Goran Stefanovski. In four of his plays, Euralien, Hotel Europa, Ex-Yu, and Goce, Stefanovski criticizes Western Europe, on the one hand, for constructing a problematic Other, imposing a visa regime, and contributing to its marginalization, and the Balkans on the other, for mythologizing its nationally-romanticized narrative. The paper sheds light on the fact that the acceptance of a common (shared) European identity, a necessity which propagates itself amidst conditions of globalization, is dependent on the ways in which Europe will resolve its problems, such as the marginalization of the Other, way of thinking in binary oppositions, like old/new Europe, rich/poor Europe, and especially (talking about Balkan countries) the phrase South-East Balkan.

Keywords

EN

image of the Other; globalization; multiculturalism; European identity; the problematic Other; marginalization; national romanticism; drama; Goran Stefanovski

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Human Affairs
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 56-65

Dates

published

2013-01-01

online

2012-12-29

Contributors

author

Mishel Pavlovski

• Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje

References

• [1] BBC. (2001). “Merkel says German multicultural society has failed”. 〈http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11559451> [Accessed on 21. 10. 2011].
• [2] Georgievska-Jakovleva, L., Pavlovski, M. (2009). Europe as Europe’s Otherness. In S. Arslan, V. Aytar, D. Karaosmanoglu, S. K Schroeder (Eds.). Media, Culture and Identity in Europe. Istanbul: Bahcesehir University Press.
• [3] Levy, D., Pensky, M., Torpey, J. (2005). Old Europe, New Europe, Core Europe: Transatlantic Relations after the Iraq War. London/New York: Verso.
• [4] Lewis, J. (2008). Cultural Studies: the Basics., Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
• [5] Pavlovski, J., Pavlovski, M. (1998). Macedonia Yesterday and Today. Skopje: MI-AN.
• [6] Poster, M. (1995). The Second Media Age. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• [7] Стeфановски, Г (2010). Собрани Драми. Киига трeуа. Скопje, Табернакрл.
• [8] Stefanovski, G. (2000). Hotel Europa. Play. (Manuscript).
• [9] Stefanovski, G. (1998). Euralien. Play. (Manuscript).

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s13374-013-0106-8