17 mei 2010

Lezing István Povedak: God’s New Chosen Nation?
plaats: Keizerszaal, Meertens Instituut
tijd: 14.00 – 15.15u

Following the collapse of the communist regime in 1989, the sudden influx of western mass culture, the reborn of the long-time oppressed nationalism and religious pluralism caused identity crisis in Hungarian society. Besides the “secularization processes” the “re-enchantment” of the world gains more and more emphasis. A predominant phenomenon in this is the “sacralisation of the nation”. The sacralisation process of Hungariannes can be observed in politics, religions (Christian- and Neopagan religious nationalism), on national and cultural feasts and even in the works of certain “alternative social scientists”. The presentation tries to give an overview of these phenomena.

Dr István Povedak is researcher at the Bálint Sándor Institute for Research on Religions in Szeged, Hungary. 

Reading suggestion:

István, Povedák “The Sacralized Heroes of Hungarian Civil Religion” In. Ulrika Wolf-Knuts – Kathleen Grant (eds.) Rethinking the Sacred. (Abo Akademi University. 111-125., 2009)
István Povedák, ‘The Apostle of Love: The Cult of Jimmy Zámbo in Post-Socialist Hungary’, in: Peter Jan Margry (ed.), Shrines and Pilgrimage in the Modern World. New Itinaries into the Sacred (Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press, 2008).

For more information please contact:

Hester Dibbits
Meertens Institute
tel. + 31 (0)20 – 462 85 50                       
e-mail: hester.dibbits@meertens.knaw.nl