Making Sense of Dictatorship: Domination and Everyday Life in East Central Europe After 1945

Making Sense of Dictatorship explores how political power functioned in the communist regimes of East Central Europe after 1945 by examining the concept of Sinnwelt, the way in which groups and individuals made sense of the world around them. The essays focus on the dynamics of everyday life and the extent to which the relationship between citizens and the state was collaborative or antagonistic.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2022
Publisher: Central European University Press

After 1945, how did political power function in the communist regimes of East Central Europe?

Making Sense of Dictatorship delves into this question, particularly focusing on the passive behavior of the majority of the population until the late 1980s, when their rejection of state socialism and its authoritarian world became evident. The authors introduce the concept of Sinnwelt, which refers to the way individuals and groups interpret the world around them. The essays in this volume explore the dynamics of everyday life and the extent to which the relationship between citizens and the state was cooperative or antagonistic. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of life during this period, including modernization, consumerism, leisure, and the experiences of "ordinary people," single mothers, or those embracing alternative lifestyles.

Empirically rich and conceptually innovative, the essays in this volume offer fresh perspectives on how people make sense of their daily lives under dictatorial regimes.

Weight: 600g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789633864272