In this Book
- Bones of Contention: The living archive of Vasil Levski and the making of Bulgaria's national hero
- Book
- 2009
- Published by: Central European University Press
summary
This book is about documenting and analyzing the living archive around the figure of Vasil Levski (1837–1873), arguably the major and only uncontested hero of the Bulgarian national pantheon. The processes described, although with a chronological depth of almost two centuries, are still very much in the making, and the living archive expands not only in size but constantly adding surprising new forms. The monograph is a historical study, taking as its narrative focus the life, death and posthumous fate of Levski. By exploring the vicissitudes of his heroicization, glorification, appropriations, reinterpretation, commemoration and, finally, canonization, it seeks to engage in several broad theoretical debates, and provide the basis for subsequent regional comparative research. The analysis of Levski's consecutive and simultaneous appropriations by different social platforms, political parties, secular and religious institutions, ideologies, professional groups, and individuals, demonstrates how boundaries within the framework of the nation are negotiated around accepted national symbols.
Table of Contents
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- Table of Contents
- pp. vii-viii
- Introduction
- pp. ix-xxi
- 2. From Breach to Crisis
- pp. 39-64
- 4. A Socialist Public Sphere?
- pp. 83-108
- 5. “Professionals” and “Dilettantes”
- pp. 109-137
- 1. What Is a Hero and Are Heroes Born?
- pp. 185-201
- 2. The “Making” of Vasil Levski
- pp. 203-235
- 4. Contesting the Hero
- pp. 267-288
- 6. From Hero for All to Dissident and Back
- pp. 307-346
- Part III: The National Hero as Secular Saint: The Canonization of Levski
- 2. The Canonization and Its Implications
- pp. 373-398
- 4. The Orchestration of a Grassroots Cultus
- pp. 429-446
- 5. Commemoration, Ritual, and the Sacred
- pp. 447-475
- Conclusion
- pp. 503-513
Additional Information
ISBN
9786155211638
Related ISBN(s)
9789639776241
MARC Record
OCLC
646795887
Pages
638
Launched on MUSE
2013-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No