Suchergebnisse

The volume gathers the papers presented at the international symposium of the same name held in Oradea, Romania, on June 4-8, 2013. The studies aim to uncover distances between centre and periphery and their common traits as well, as they are revealed in the various images of Europe and of its Eastern border. The articles cover a time span that goes back to the early Middle Ages and reaches the present, increasing their number for the modern and contemporary eras. The volume benefits the approach of more than one discipline, as the authors are not only historians, but also philologists, archaeologists and geographers. The introductory article reveals the aims of the volume and the means to reach them, while also describing the current issues it addresses. The editors propose a double perspective: on the one hand periphery viewed from the centre and on the other periphery as it sees itself. The articles of the first chapter cover a large space, from Western to Eastern Europe, from Rome to Byzantium and to the Ottoman Empire, ending with a study on the theoretical issues concerning otherness. The articles of the second chapter seem more focused on the Romanian space, especially on Transylvania. The chapter commences with a theoretical approach concerning the border concept and its various meanings. Further on, in chronological order, the authors discuss subjects concerning anthroponimy, demography, social and religious history, which, together, draw several self-images of Romanians and of the space they inhabited. Differences are set aside in the third chapter - European Identities - as the common denominator of centre and periphery is revealed in the articles reunited here. The authors discuss subjects ranging from early attempts of a European aggregation to Romanians' alignment with European ideas and policies.

The ethnic structure of this region has been heavily influenced by the evolution of the various historico-geographical factors and policies. Most of this structure, however, is linked to the evolution of the denominational structure. Ethnicity in this case is closely related to religion. The political reality, the events with political overtones that occurred during these centurieshad a direct influence regarding the conduct of processes and phenomena related to the ethno-confessional evolution of the area subject to our research. In this period the region is part of the Austrian state (before 1867), Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867 to 1918), Hungary (1940-1944) and Romania (1918-1940, 1944 - present). This space is located in the western area and it is mainly inhabited by Romanians. The continuous presence of Romanians here is documented ever since its formation. The ethnic group of Romanians has been facing a considerable demographic pressure that came from the Hungarians (the neighbouring ethnic group) or from groups or immigrants settled in this space (we refer in this case mainly to the Germans, Slovaks, Gypsies and Jews).
Major geopolitical changes of the twentieth century and political decisions, especially extremist dictatorial regimes (Horthyst-Hungarian and communist-Romanian) led to significant changes in the ethnic structure of the region northwest Transylvania. Policy decisions, especially those taken during the dictatorial political and extremist regimes during the twentieth centurywere able to seriously affect ethno-religious realities of the Romanian space, especially in Transylvania. Be it the Hungarian or Romanian authorities during the two world wars or the communist dictatorship, decisions were taken that changed the ethnic map of the Romanian space. Suffice it to recall the drama of the Jewish community of the Second World War or the "sale" of the Germans and the Jews by the Communists in the postwar period.