Reconstructing the House of Culture

Community, Self, and the Makings of Culture in Russia and Beyond

Brian Donahoe, Joachim Otto Habeck, Brian Donahoe, Joachim Otto Habeck

• Publisher: Berghahn Books
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN:
  9780857452757
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9780857452764
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Cultural & Social Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

Notions of culture, rituals and their meanings, the workings of ideology in everyday life, public representations of tradition and ethnicity, and the social consequences of economic transition— these are critical issues in the social anthropology of Russia and other postsocialist countries. Engaged in the negotiation of all these is the House of Culture, which was the key institution for cultural activities and implementation of state cultural policies in all socialist states. The House of Culture was officially responsible for cultural enlightenment, moral edification, and personal cultivation—in short, for implementing the socialist state's program of "bringing culture to the masses." Surprisingly, little is known about its past and present condition. This collection of ethnographically rich accounts examines the social significance and everyday performance of Houses of Culture and how they have changed in recent decades. In the years immediately following the end of the Soviet Union, they underwent a deep economic and symbolic crisis, and many closed. Recently, however, there have been signs of a revitalization of the Houses of Culture and a re-orientation of their missions and programs. The contributions to this volume investigate the changing functions and meanings of these vital institutions for the communities that they serve.

Table of contents

• Contents
• List of Figures
• Preface
• A Note on Transliteration
• Introduction — Cultivation, Collective, and the Self
• Part I — The Siberian House of Culture in Comparative Perspective
• Chapter 1 — From Collective Enthusiasm to Individual Self-Realization: History of and Experiences in the House of Culture, Anadyr' (Chukotka)
• Chapter 2 — "Thank You for Being": Neighborhood, Ethno-Culture, and Social Recognition in the House of Culture
• Chapter 3 — Pokazukha in the House of Culture: The Pattern of Behavior in Kurumkan, Eastern Buriatiia
• Chapter 4 — Three Houses of Culture in Kosh-Agach: Accounting for Culture Work in a Changing Political Setting
• Chapter 5 — In the Face of Adversity: Shagonar's Culture Workers Bear the Torch of Culture
• Chapter 6 — Constellations of Culture Work in Present-Day Siberia
• Part II — Expanding the Stage: The House of Culture in Broader Historical and Geographical Context
• Chapter 7 — The Emergence of Soviet Houses of Culture in Kyrgyzstan
• Chapter 8 — Palana's House of Koryak Culture
• Chapter 9 — Transformations of the House of Culture in Civil Society: A Case Study of Rural Women's Culture Projects in Latvia
• Chapter 10 — Heritage House Guarding as Sustainable Development: Community Arts and Architecture within a World Cultural Net(work)
• Epilogue: Recognizing Soviet Culture
• Appendix 1 — Research Design and Methodology of the Comparative Research Project: "The Social Significance of the House of Culture"
• Appendix 2 — Survey Form and Instructions
• Appendix 3 — Questionnaire 1 (Q1) and Instructions
• Appendix 4 — Questionnaire 2 (Q2) and Instructions
• Appendix 5 — Fieldwork Checklist
• Notes on Contributors
• Index