Abstract
Reviewed by: Jonathan Kwan, University of Nottingham, UK
What terms should be used for the historical analysis of the Habsburg Monarchy’s culture (in the widest sense) and its legacy? ‘Nationalism’ can be divisive, exclusionary and posits a powerful, distorting, teleological narrative. Other terms such as ‘multilinguality’, ‘multinationality’ and ‘multiethnicity’, according to the editors, ‘do not encompass but rather typically obstruct the highly complex and dynamic cultural phenomena [in Habsburg Central Europe]’ (3). What of ‘multiculturalism’, so prominently used in the volume’s title? The editors assert that the term ‘multiculturalism’ can move beyond nationalist frameworks and understandings ‘to capture cultural diversity more appropriately and precisely by defining culture as fragmented, multivalent, and fluid’ (3). Yet some contributors are wary of the term, indeed even question its use. Other possible terms and concepts invoked throughout the book include ‘cultural coding’, ‘palimpsest’, ‘hybridity’. It is no coincidence that many of these terms have a contemporary resonance. For the editors, Habsburg Central Europe was a ‘laboratory in which processes emerged that have global relevance today’ (13). These two themes – ‘multiculturalism’ as a term and the contemporary relevance of Habsburg Central Europe – underlie many of the book’s contributions.
The first section mostly focuses on the theoretical aspects. Anil Bhatti, who constructively uses his knowledge of the Indian and German-speaking worlds, criticizes the basic premises of ‘multiculturalism’, arguing that its concept and practice emphasizes difference, freezes ‘otherness’ and essentializes cultures and nationalisms. This promotes institutional segregation and parallel societies while neglecting the ‘social and cultural weaves’ (40). Michael Rössner, who references his work on Latin America, evokes the image of identities as a ‘marketplace of negotiations’ (53). He prefers to use the term ‘hybridity’. Pieter Judson’s article, in line with his ground-breaking work on nationalism in the late Habsburg Monarchy, contrasts the nationalist activists, who dominated public discourse and emphasized national difference, with the general rural population, who were often bilingual, pragmatic and often nationally indifferent. If local everyday life in multilingual regions ignored or de-emphasized nationalist and language differences, then, asks Judson, how can society be understood as ‘multi-cultural’?
Many of these issues are taken up in the next section. Pamela Ballinger writes on Istria (now divided between Slovenia and Croatia) where ethnic co-existence, cultural diversity and regional identity have challenged nationalist viewpoints. Ballinger, like Judson, distinguishes between the discourse and the practice of multiculturalism arguing for a close interrelationship between the two. She first traces the genealogy of Istrian regional discourse then outlines how it has functioned within contemporary politics. The traditional Istrian regional discourse linked to territory, bilingualism (Croatian – Italian), pluricultural realities and Western civilization has underpinned the distinction between ‘genuine Istrians’ and ‘non-Istrians’ (roughly locals and outsiders). Since Istria’s division into Slovenian and Croatian parts in 1991, Ballinger has noted a reduction both in shared, Istrian regional discourse and in multicultural practice. This change highlights the important role of the state in promoting national homogeneity or multiculturalism.
Patrice Dabrowski’s chapter outlines an interesting variant on state policy, local population and multiculturalism. She focuses on the Hutsul region in the Carpathian Mountains, which was part of Poland in the interwar period but is now in present-day Ukraine. In the interwar period, the Polish government treated the Hutsul region as a distinctive and valuable component of a diverse Polish nation. Thus, according to Dabrowski, the Polish state cannot be simply characterized as a monolithic nationalizing state since it contained many powerful voices advocating regional diversity as enriching for the nation.
Michael John traces the twists and turns of Austrian migration from the 1920s to the 2000s and the shifting, uneasy relationship between the state, its elites and the general population. After the formation of the Austrian First Republic, issues of citizenship and refugees were pressing. Vienna, dominated by the Social Democrats, was notably more inclusive in comparison to the more conservative Austrian provinces. Until 1945 the discussion about migration, exclusion and integration largely revolved around Jews, though there were many other immigrants to Austria, especially from the successor states to the Habsburg Monarchy. In the booming 1960s a new element was introduced: the recruitment of ‘guest workers’ (Gastarbeiter). Most were from Yugoslavia but a significant proportion came from Turkey. Continued immigration from these countries and others, coupled with a decline in the birth rate of the traditional Austrian population, has transformed Austrian society in the last decades. John asserts unambiguously that Austria is now a ‘land of immigration’ (148), though the official position and the attitude of many in the wider public belies that point.
The final section begins with two slender contributions on interesting regions – Prekmurje (in North East Slovenia) and Bukovina (now divided between Romania and Ukraine). Oto Luthar evokes the early twentieth century in North East Slovenia through the means of his family’s cookbook and a soldier’s diary. In both documents Slovenian, German and Hungarian are used depending on functional and psychological associations. Andrei Corbea-Hoisie’s contribution focuses on Bukovina and uses fiction and memoirs to investigate national interactions. The book ends with a theoretical chapter from Moriz Csáky, which mirrors many of the arguments made in the introduction.
What then of the two main themes? It is debatable whether the Habsburg Monarchy can be viewed as some sort of forerunner to our postmodern, globalized, interconnected world. It undoubtedly had a vigorous, complex and varied culture. Whether ‘multiculturalism’ is a useful descriptive and analytical term for this culture remains unresolved. This volume poses many questions but does not present a coherent case for its use. Perhaps with more case studies on the triangular relationship and dynamic between the state, nationalist elites and the wider population as well as further work on religious affiliation and local loyalties, a thorough reconceptualization of Habsburg Central European culture would be possible. This book suggests many paths for future work.