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“Heading for the Abyss” Interstate friendship, anxiety and state biographical narrative change in Austria

Moser, Roja LU (2021) SIMV07 20211
Graduate School
Department of Political Science
Education
Master of Science in Global Studies
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to examine how state biographical narratives can change and how this process might affect a state’s ontological security. Moreover, it looks at whether interstate friendship could alleviate any feelings of anxiety caused by such changes. Using the case of Austria after World War II, the analysis focuses on political elites’ articulations of Austrian state identity along a victim narrative as first coined by the Allies in the Moscow Declaration. Using a discursive psychology method, I show how Austria’s state biographical narrative changed from that of a victim of the war to admitting co-responsibility in the crimes committed. Looking at official documents and parliamentary speeches, I show how the so-called... (More)
The purpose of this thesis is to examine how state biographical narratives can change and how this process might affect a state’s ontological security. Moreover, it looks at whether interstate friendship could alleviate any feelings of anxiety caused by such changes. Using the case of Austria after World War II, the analysis focuses on political elites’ articulations of Austrian state identity along a victim narrative as first coined by the Allies in the Moscow Declaration. Using a discursive psychology method, I show how Austria’s state biographical narrative changed from that of a victim of the war to admitting co-responsibility in the crimes committed. Looking at official documents and parliamentary speeches, I show how the so-called victim myth was sustained and subsequently changed by politicians by drawing from distinct interpretative repertoires. Drawing from literature on political memory, emotions in IR and interstate friendship, I apply the ontological security concept understood as security of becoming to argue that this change was ultimately a showcase of agency that facilitated Austria’s way to EU accession at a time when new standards for dealing with the past were established across Europe. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Moser, Roja LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV07 20211
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
ontological security, friendship, biographical narrative, memory, emotions
language
English
id
9062175
date added to LUP
2021-08-18 15:25:06
date last changed
2021-08-18 15:25:06
@misc{9062175,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this thesis is to examine how state biographical narratives can change and how this process might affect a state’s ontological security. Moreover, it looks at whether interstate friendship could alleviate any feelings of anxiety caused by such changes. Using the case of Austria after World War II, the analysis focuses on political elites’ articulations of Austrian state identity along a victim narrative as first coined by the Allies in the Moscow Declaration. Using a discursive psychology method, I show how Austria’s state biographical narrative changed from that of a victim of the war to admitting co-responsibility in the crimes committed. Looking at official documents and parliamentary speeches, I show how the so-called victim myth was sustained and subsequently changed by politicians by drawing from distinct interpretative repertoires. Drawing from literature on political memory, emotions in IR and interstate friendship, I apply the ontological security concept understood as security of becoming to argue that this change was ultimately a showcase of agency that facilitated Austria’s way to EU accession at a time when new standards for dealing with the past were established across Europe.}},
  author       = {{Moser, Roja}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“Heading for the Abyss” Interstate friendship, anxiety and state biographical narrative change in Austria}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}