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Austrian Identity and Modernity

Culture and Politics in the 20th Century

Elana Shapira editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Publishing:20th Feb '25

£85.00

This title is due to be published on 20th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Austrian Identity and Modernity cover

An exploration of national and nationalist identification(s) in Austria in response to the political environment in the first half of the 20th century.

Bringing together an interdisciplinary cast of scholars, this volume explores national and nationalist identification(s) in Austria, as they were represented through culture and design, in response to the political environment in the first half of the 20th century. Austrian Identity and Modernity addresses the processes of evolution, conflict, destruction, and critical reassembling of interrelated Austrian cultures. It discusses:
- The transformation of liberal ideologies, scientific leadership, technology and social inclusion
- How professional women shaped alternative collectives, art and design movements
- Socialist cultural projects and national unity
- The Catholic Church and politics
- Antisemitism and memory culture in context
- Political shifts and modern architecture and music
- Migration, remigration and pluralism in Austrian culture
Divided into four chronological parts, the book surveys the period from the late-19th century through to the post-WWII era. It serves to offer up innovative approaches to the concepts of nation and nationalism, as well as ground-breaking research on the roles played by regionalism, Europeanism, and migration in culture, design and the shaping of Austrian identities.

This ambitious and wide-ranging volume breaks new ground by bringing the study of Austrian art, music, architecture, and design – into dialogue with questions of politics, nationalism, and national identity from the Habsburg empire through the Nazi period and beyond. Its essays brilliantly reveal the intricate intertwining of Austrian modernisms with visions of Austrian nationhood across five regimes. * Paul Lerner, Professor of History, University of Southern California, USA *
There is still much to discover when it comes to Austrian history, from the late Habsburgs and all the formative years in between to the Second Republic. Elana Shapira's anthology offers an impressive collection of essays and is a welcome contribution to ongoing debates about modernity and identity in Austria, including reflections on the role of Jews and coming to terms with the Nazi past. Bringing together a group of experts from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, it is sure to be read by scholars and the interested public alike. * Dirk Rupnow, Institute for Contemporary History, University of Innsbruck, Austria *
Austrian identity is still being emotionally debated and politically instrumentalized. Austrian Identity and Modernity provides an impressive overview of the various struggles for Austrian identities from the late 19th century to the present, focusing on art, architecture, film and music in a national as well as global political context. * Helga Embacher, Professor of Contemporary History, University of Salzburg, Austria *

ISBN: 9781350441934

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

312 pages