
- 300 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Collected writings from a visionary thinker about the perilous edge between patriotism and fascism
How do nationalism and patriotism shape our understanding of identity, and when do they drift into dangerous territory? Marta Figlerowicz gathers a selection of writings from Maria Janion, one of Eastern Europe’s most profound and original intellectuals, to explore this fine line. Between her birth in Vilnius in 1926 and her death in Warsaw in 2020, Janion witnessed some of the most consequential events of the turbulent twentieth century: the rise of authoritarian nationalism in Poland, German occupation during World War II, Soviet control, and Poland’s uneasy integration into the West. As Western countries face their own nationalist resurgences, Janion’s writing holds tools to help move through this historical condition.
The Bad Child offers sharp insights into how societies develop and assert their identities and histories—often at the cost of the people. Janion’s reflections on fascism, popular culture, and national self-fashioning presciently name and critique regional dynamics that have most recently resulted in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and they broadly expose the illusions that cultures can promote and the dangerous slide from national pride to exclusionary right-wing politics. A queer woman and survivor of World War II, a leftist who resisted Soviet orthodoxy, Janion lends a uniquely disruptive voice to contemporary discussions of fascism, and her insights resonate far beyond her Eastern European roots.
Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly with images accompanied by short alt text and/or extended descriptions.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Introduction
- Translatorās Note
- Part I: A Theory of Eastern Europe
- Chapter 1: Uncanny Slavdom
- Chapter 2: Polandās Location in Europe
- Chapter 3: Between Death and Laughter: The Art of Jacek Malczewski
- Part II: Socialism, Patriotism, Nationhood
- Chapter 4: The Patriot-as-Madman
- Chapter 5: Socialism as a Prometheism
- Part III: Aesthetics, History, and Critical Method
- Chapter 6: The Project of Phantasmatic Critique
- Chapter 7: The History of Literature and the History of Ideas
- Chapter 8: Notes on Horror and Melodrama
- Part IV: The Authority of the Other
- Chapter 9: Adam Mickiewiczās Jewish Legion
- Chapter 10: Fragments from a Loverās Discourse
- Chapter 11: The Bad Child: Interviews
- Translatorās Acknowledgments
- Publication History
- Index
- Author and Translator Biographies