Ethnography of Balkans

Billed variously as a free form or “quasi-opera” in the manner of Robert Wilson, under the spell of whose "Einstein on the Beach" I fell earlier this year, "The Life and Death of Marina Abramović" (LaDoMA) was most thrilling for its musical eclecticism. Experiencing it live, I was reminded of the fact that there is no reason why opera has to maintain slavish attitudes towards its traditional roots. Like so many of his theatrical collaborations, Wilson and his collaborators draw on just some of the many musical vernaculars that are available to a contemporary opera composer. In the case of this avant-opera, the soundscape consists of an intermingling of pop music, the rock ballad, Balkan folk music, electronica, modern minimalism, simulated orchestral music, and an assortment of other Dadaist noise experiments, like the sound of a snare drum rolling through the woods down a steep hill. As ever, Wilson runs the gamut.

One of the basic failures of West on the Balkans is the expectation that the formation of cultural identities is following the same path as it was in the West. There are two notions defining the term “identity”: Absolute sameness, and distinctiveness. Cultural identities are formed by the existence of cultural similarities on the one side, and existence of cultural differences on the other. The problematic issue in that sense is the question on how the “differences” are formed and cultural differentiation is shaped.

The aim of this paper is to examine the formation of identity in the Balkans from a theoretical point of view, discussing the issues of concepts “other” and “cultural half”. The concept of the “other” may lead the transformation of the “other” into the “enemy other” which is very often after the establishment of i.e. nation states. Although the notion of “cultural half” stresses the differences between cultural identities, on the other side it implies the sense that the identities are “half”s for each other and can live together, and even this may be recognized as a natural process.

Looking beyond a historical perspective, it can be argued that the practice of living together with other cultures in West is not so rich. During the Colonization era, the image of the “other” was constructed as barbaric, uncivilized, or savage. During the era of the construction of modern nation-states by transforming cultural identities into political identities, the cultural differences were constructed as “other” and this construction was clearly defined by drawing borders. Especially, in a region like the Balkans, where different cultures used to live side by side, the same process was implemented which resulted in bloody conflicts. The term “Balkanization” was regarded as a negative term to imply the negative aggressive, barbaric, uncivilized character of tribal cultural groups in the Balkans. However, this pejorative term disregards the effect of outer interventions as one of the reasons behind the conflicts occurred by inner dynamics. In that sense, a Eurocentric  effort of construction of the “other” is usually ignored

The bloody conflicts which occurred in the Middle East, Caucasus and the Balkans at the end of 20th century was examined within this perspective by defining those cultures as aggressive, backward, etc. instead of examining those conflicts by looking at the social, economical and political structure of those regions. The “peaceful” solution to those conflicts in the West has been to define and draw clearly determined borders, ignoring the experience of those ethnic/cultural groups of living together with high intercultural relation.

"WEBSITE: http://romanianruraltourism.drupalgardens.com/
WEB PAGE: http://sistem.acadiasi.ro/en/node/241
CONTACT: Georgiana Tacu, geo_tacu@yahoo.com
The organizers of the International Conference “Romanian rural tourism in the context of sustainable development. Present and prospects” have the pleasure of inviting you to take part at the 16th edition which will be held in Vatra Dornei (Romania) on May 29-31, 2014.
The development of rural tourism in the last decades and the experience that Romania has achieved in this area have drawn the attention of researchers and academics from the country and from abroad and together with the managers of tourist and agritourist guesthouses they attempt to provide solutions to the problems, numerous and difficult, tourism is facing.
Hence, prestigious institutions in the ambit of Romanian scientific research and professional training such as Romanian Academy - Iaşi Branch – “Gh. Zane” IESR, MARD - General Department of Rural Development, NIRDT Bucharest, NARECT - Bukovina Branch, Euromontana, TICDC Union Vatra Dornei, and GAER - Iaşi Branch, taking into consideration the requirements with which Romania has to comply as a Member State of the EU and most specially the current national and global economic context under the fatidic sign of the economic crisis, are organizing the 16th edition of the International Conference “Romanian rural tourism in the context of sustainable development. Present and prospects” in order to bring together Romanian and foreign academics and experts able to provide relevant solutions meant to aid the rural tourism of Romania.
The Conference will take place in a picturesque environment, emblem of Romania - Vatra Dornei - a city in the historical region of Bukovina where tourism is a predilect activity.
We are expecting you in Vatra Dornei."

From the Germans of Danzig (now Gdansk, in Poland) to the Turks of Rhodes: the «Europa etnografica» map (1:6.000.000) of the Atlante internazionale del TCI (1st ed., 1927). For a later version of this map (3rd ed., 1929) you can see www.davidrumsey.com