The Narcissism of Minor Differences in the Context of Post-Imperial Macedonian Neighbouring
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11649/sm.2667Keywords:
narcissism of minor differences, border zone, identity, neighbourhood, non-shared memory, post-hegemony, cultural intimacy, mimetic rivalry, the Balkans, North MacedoniaAbstract
The Narcissism of Minor Differences in the Context of Post-Imperial Macedonian Neighbouring
The conflicting relations among neighbouring nations in the Balkans may very accurately be explained by S. Freud’s theory of the Narcissism of Minor Differences. Related identities among nations and the bordering zones between countries have always been and continue to be a generator of racial, national, religious and cultural tensions. Whenever the discourse of identities is radicalized, cultural and political hegemony comes to life: identities are ranked according to worth; borders are changed according to national identity; methods of physical and metaphysical violence are used; shared places of memory are appropriated, and those not shared are negated. Perception is in crisis and, as a result, promotes a kind of conflictual mutual misrecognition. This text aims to demystify such installations of hegemony in the (North) Macedonian neighbouring region, and to articulate some principles of a post-hegemonistic paradigm.
Narcyzm małych różnic w kontekście postimperialnego sąsiedztwa Macedonii
Konfliktowe relacje między sąsiednimi narodami na Bałkanach można bardzo trafnie wyjaśnić teorią narcyzmu małych różnic Z. Freuda. Pokrewne tożsamości w obrębie tych narodów oraz stref przygranicznych między poszczególnymi krajami były i są generatorem napięć na tle rasowym, narodowym, religijnym i kulturowym. Ilekroć dyskurs o tożsamościach ulega radykalizacji, ożywa kulturowa i polityczna hegemonia: tożsamości są szeregowane według wartości; granice są zmieniane zgodnie z tożsamością narodową; stosowane są metody przemocy fizycznej i metafizycznej; współdzielone miejsca pamięci są zawłaszczane, a te, które nie są współdzielone, są negowane. Percepcja znajduje się w kryzysie i w rezultacie sprzyja rozwojowi wzajemnego niezrozumienia, które prowadzi do konfliktów. Celem niniejszego tekstu jest demistyfikacja takich działań o charakterze hegemonicznym w sąsiednim regionie (północnej) Macedonii oraz wyartykułowanie pewnych zasad paradygmatu posthegemonistycznego.
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