“Handsome is, handsome does”, Or External appearance in the Cultural Antithesis East – West

    Radoslava Ilcheva “Handsome is, handsome does”, Or External appearance in the Cultural Antithesis East – West Summary   For centuries on Russia have perceived the Europeans mainly through their external appearance. Through out all Middle Ages the foreign clothing has been a serious and even a prime obstacle (together with the language) in…

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Occident versus Orient

    Jasmina Mojsieva-Gusheva Occident versus Orient Summary   This paper discusses the opposition of West and East and the terminated dialogue of the two civilizations, in particular, following the terrorist actions. Logic of the stereotype thinking of both sides contributes to this gap broadening: Edward Said’s story about “Western colonialism”, and deliberate Western manipulation…

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A Complicated Occidentalism: Colonial Desire and Disappointment in V. S. Naipaul

Leela Gandhi (La Trobe University) A Complicated Occidentalism: Colonial Desire and Disappointment in V. S. Naipaul   In recent years the question of V. S. Naipaul’s relationship to England has begun to complicate his hitherto negative reception within the postcolonial academy. While, in the 1980’s, a generation of colonial discourse analysis-inspired critics were able to…

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‘Hellenization’ and ‘Europeanization’ in Bulgaria during the National Revival Period

Raymond Detrez (Gent) ‘Hellenization’ and ‘Europeanization’ in Bulgaria during the National Revival Period Summary   During the National Revival period, Bulgarians came into contact with the West and created for themselves an image of the Occident mainly through the intermediation of the Greek economic, social and intellectual elite. Although criticism was as a rule imbedded…

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