The Nostalgia Phenomenon in Central and Eastern Europe: Experience or Challenge of Post-Communist Transformations?

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of nostalgia for the socialist past in post-communist Central and Eastern European societies, particularly through an analysis of Georgi Gospodinov's novel Time Shelter.

The author examines the significance of individual and collective memory, highlighting how literature reflects sociocultural challenges connected to the past. Special attention is devoted to the relationship between material and immaterial forms of memory, as studied by Maurice Halbwachs and Paul Connerton. The article demonstrates how reconstructing the past through rituals, symbols, and physical objects shapes the formation of social narratives. The research findings suggest that nostalgia for the past often serves as a tool for manipulation, particularly in political and cultural fields.

The article also analyzes how modern cultural and political processes influence memory development, especially in terms of using media tools to create idealized images of the past. It emphasizes the risks of retreating into "comfortable" periods of history and the importance of critically examining the past to avoid social amnesia.

The article presents an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing memory issues, drawing on examples from literature and cultural practices of Central and Eastern European countries, contributing to our understanding of modern social transformations.