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Vitryssland eller Belarus? : Namnskick, långdistansnationalism och identitetspolitik

Rudling, Per A. LU (2021) In Nordisk Østforum 35. p.210-235
Abstract
In 2019, the Swedish government officially switched terminology from using the traditional endogenous term Vitryssland to the exogenous Belarus. Vitryssland (lit: White Russia) had been in use in the Swedish language since the 17th century, and the decision was neither easy nor swift. There was no consensus about the utility of the change, and significant opposition from linguists and editors against abandoning a term which had emerged and become established over centuries of contact. The debate preceding the switch was often shrill, led by activists and steeped in identity politics. In fact, controversies regarding what to call the country were nothing new, highlighting diverging visions of its geopolitical and cultural position between... (More)
In 2019, the Swedish government officially switched terminology from using the traditional endogenous term Vitryssland to the exogenous Belarus. Vitryssland (lit: White Russia) had been in use in the Swedish language since the 17th century, and the decision was neither easy nor swift. There was no consensus about the utility of the change, and significant opposition from linguists and editors against abandoning a term which had emerged and become established over centuries of contact. The debate preceding the switch was often shrill, led by activists and steeped in identity politics. In fact, controversies regarding what to call the country were nothing new, highlighting diverging visions of its geopolitical and cultural position between East and West. Discussions mirrored the far more emotional and polarized discussions among Belarusian nationalists in the 20th century, which at times became violent. Kryvia, Byelorussia, Greatlitva were but some of contenders. This article is an attempt to place discussions about the Swedish terminology in the larger context of history, memory, geopolitics and identity politics. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Belarus, long distance nationalism, endonyms, Rus’, Belarusian-Swedish relations, Belarus, long distance nationalism, endonyms, Rus’, Belarusian-Swedish relations
in
Nordisk Østforum
volume
35
pages
26 pages
publisher
Cappelen Damm Akademisk
ISSN
1891-1773
DOI
10.23865/noros.v35.3361
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
b2a65240-fcd0-420f-878d-a37517128300
date added to LUP
2021-12-10 16:55:38
date last changed
2021-12-17 12:52:37
@article{b2a65240-fcd0-420f-878d-a37517128300,
  abstract     = {{In 2019, the Swedish government officially switched terminology from using the traditional endogenous term Vitryssland to the exogenous Belarus. Vitryssland (lit: White Russia) had been in use in the Swedish language since the 17th century, and the decision was neither easy nor swift. There was no consensus about the utility of the change, and significant opposition from linguists and editors against abandoning a term which had emerged and become established over centuries of contact. The debate preceding the switch was often shrill, led by activists and steeped in identity politics. In fact, controversies regarding what to call the country were nothing new, highlighting diverging visions of its geopolitical and cultural position between East and West. Discussions mirrored the far more emotional and polarized discussions among Belarusian nationalists in the 20th century, which at times became violent. Kryvia, Byelorussia, Greatlitva were but some of contenders. This article is an attempt to place discussions about the Swedish terminology in the larger context of history, memory, geopolitics and identity politics.}},
  author       = {{Rudling, Per A.}},
  issn         = {{1891-1773}},
  keywords     = {{Belarus; long distance nationalism; endonyms; Rus’; Belarusian-Swedish relations; Belarus; long distance nationalism; endonyms; Rus’; Belarusian-Swedish relations}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  month        = {{12}},
  pages        = {{210--235}},
  publisher    = {{Cappelen Damm Akademisk}},
  series       = {{Nordisk Østforum}},
  title        = {{Vitryssland eller Belarus? : Namnskick, långdistansnationalism och identitetspolitik}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.23865/noros.v35.3361}},
  doi          = {{10.23865/noros.v35.3361}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}