Episode 5: Discovery of Belarusian culture and language

Belarusian culture possesses a long history of prolific authors and creators. However, it is still a bit unknown to a broader public. This episode brings examples of the most outstanding artists and writers of Belarus, remarks on the role of Belarusian language in culture creation and consumption as well as a discussion about the difficult situation of the Belarusian artists due to the repressions from the state authorities during ongoing protests against Lukashenko.

In this episode you will also listen to “Mahutny Bozha” (Магутны Божа), a song that became an anthem of 2020 protests.

Hosted by: Maciek Makulski

Guest speakers:

Tomasz Kamusella, an interdisciplinary historian of modern central and eastern Europe, with a focus on language politics and nationalism who works at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of over 200 research publications.

Viktar Martsinovich, a Belarusian writer, journalist and assistant professor at the European Humanities University in Vilnius. He is the author of several books including: Paranoia (2009), Stsyudzyoni vyrai (2011), Sfagnum (2013), Mova (2016), Revolution (2020).


Background readings:

Tomasz Kamusella, Belarusian culture: Still a terra incognita, https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/06/05/belarusian-culture-still-a-terra-incognita%ef%bb%bf/

Tomasz Kamusella, Russian: A Monocentric or Pluricentric Language?, Colloquia Humanistica. No. 7, 2018.

Viktar Martsinovich, Belarusian culture: national, European, post-Soviet, New Eastern Europe, Issue 5/2018, September-October 2018.

What If Your Language Were an Illegal Drug? An Interview with Viktor Martinovich, www.culture.pl

https://culture.pl/en/article/what-if-your-language-were-an-illegal-drug-an-interview-with-victor-martinovich

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This podcast is financed by Solidarity Fund PL within the framework of the Polish development cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the grant titled: “In Solidarity with Belarus”. The podcast expresses exclusively the views of the speakers and cannot be identified with the official stance of the Solidarity Fund PL nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.