Cultural memory in post-Yugoslav theatre

Proposed project will research theatre and literature as active forces in shaping cultural memory of Yugoslavia. The research is set in the context of former Yugoslavia and its successor states dealing with a challenge of how to remember their socialist past. This research studies five theatre performances, and two literary pieces from former Yugoslav republics, and conducts a final comparative analysis between them. The goal of the research is to investigate whether there is a potential in theatre and literature to act as an active force in the formation of cultural memory. Do they reproduce or challenge and possibly augment or reshape the dominant memory narrative? Each case study will concentrate firstly on formal analysis of memory narrative as constructed in a literary or theatrical work. Reception study will follow. The media reception will be in focus. The analysis of media coverage will show whether the selected works affected the public discussion and the way Yugoslavia is remembered in media.

Phase 1 – Overview and analysis of recent case studies (month 1-2)

Phase 2 – Case studies of two theatre plays and a novel produced and published in Slovenia (month 3-11)

Phase 3 – Collecting archive and media materials from Zagreb Youth Theatre in Zagreb, and the Yugoslav Drama Theatre in Belgrade (month 12-13)

Phase 4 – Case studies of three theatre plays and a literary piece, produced in Croatia, Serbia and through international cooperation (month 13-18)

Phase 5 – Analysis and synthesis (month 19-24)