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Cultural Identity Politics in the (Post-)Transitional Societies
American cultures may be noticed, although it is not strong and mainly follows the
Western interest in numerous cultures of the world. Th e context of national cultures
is oft en seen as limited and barely adequate in the European and global surroundings
where only individual talents and achievements can be properly evaluated. Th is kind of
individualization of achievements is refl ected at the regional level as well. Th e works by
artists, writers and intellectuals transfer over the borders among (the newly established)
states. Although scrutinized from diff erent “national” points of view, cultural contents
are again circulating among the cultures of the Southeast European region. Such
circulation is supported by the growing usage of new communication technologies and
the fact that an ever larger number of users are able to make their own choices in cultural
and media consumption, and that such choices are no longer envisaged to be ideological
interpretations of the political positions taken within the states.
Possibilities to “reconnect” are being off ered now in the post-transitional phase.
Th ey are particularly supported by the evolvement of new types of cultural production:
cultural industrialization and mediatization of cultures, which are developing under
the global infl uences. Exchanges of cultural goods, information and cultural products
are facilitated by new technologies, individualization of cultural identifi cation and
the general rise of consumerism. Cultural exchanges are increasingly broad and strong
in the areas of music, particularly pop-music, in the printing industries and in the
book market and in audiovisual productions, as well as in participation in diff erent
events and festivals.
Regional cultural exchange practices generally follow global infl uences. Th e
prominent areas of exchange are those that are also preferred in the European and
global frameworks (namely, media and particularly television programmes, fi lms and
audiovisual productions, music, etc.). Th ey are organizationally facilitated by the same
companies and organizations that are active globally and that invest in the development
and formatting of the local cultural markets. Th ese are also easily adapted to the needs
and interests of local cultures.
It can be said that the overall post-transitional cultural change has led the local (either
nationally or ethnically oriented) cultures towards a more open and fl exible exchange
and communication. Th e quality of the exchanged content is, however, not tested
or compared to the value standards of particular cultures. Th e markets increasingly
promote totally uncontrolled content and other cultural products while the choice is
individualized.
It is important to mention that the regional concept of Southeastern Europe is more
and more refl ected in the frameworks of cultural communication. Th e Bulgarian, 5
Albanian or Romanian authors who were not present in the book or fi lm markets
5 Th e novel „Mission: London” by the Bulgarian writer Alek Popov has been translated and
published in Zagreb in 2010 by Meandar; the same author was published in Serbia in 2004.
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