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A review by pavel_nedelcu
What Was Socialism, and What Comes Next? by Katherine Verdery
5.0
An essay much closer to the large public than one might think, being an academic monography, therefore quite dense and challenging.
The book deals with the post-communist period in Eastern European countries, and in particular in Romania, where the author has lived and researched for many years. It analyzes (from an anthropological perspective) cultural concepts of great importance, such as nation, gender, identity, time, etc. in what concerns the chaotic and mostly harmful changes that have shaped post-communist societies from 1989 onwards.
Having been published in the mid-90s, certain observations are to be considered in the light of the changes (or static situations) that have occurred since then. But as a pioneering work in this field of research written in those years, I could generally notice how amazingly valid still is today!
The book deals with the post-communist period in Eastern European countries, and in particular in Romania, where the author has lived and researched for many years. It analyzes (from an anthropological perspective) cultural concepts of great importance, such as nation, gender, identity, time, etc. in what concerns the chaotic and mostly harmful changes that have shaped post-communist societies from 1989 onwards.
Having been published in the mid-90s, certain observations are to be considered in the light of the changes (or static situations) that have occurred since then. But as a pioneering work in this field of research written in those years, I could generally notice how amazingly valid still is today!