Cultural Studies paper by Szenczi, Eszter
Who Are We? Hungarian and Canadian Identifications in the Modern Era
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
1867. A year which had a considerable significance and life-changing consequences on the formation of national identity both for Canadians and Hungarians, too. The Canadian Confederation and the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of the same year were turning points in Canada’s and Hungary’s respective histories and generated unique social, cultural, political, and economic destinies for their populations. They went on a long journey that created a nationally and culturally specific self-definition, which determined who they are today. Since then, Hungarians and Canadians continue to create spaces to exert their own particular agencies.
In my paper, I intend to provide a contrastive analysis of the long-lasting repercussions of these two transformative events on the evolution of the Hungarians and Canadians’ national collective identities. They all have a sense of who they are in relation to their larger communities, and based on race, ethnicity, religion, language, and culture, they distinguish themselves from other groups. By comparing the major Canadian and Hungarian historical and political developments since 1867, I seek to detect some similarities and differences between their identification processes in the modern era. In doing so, my ambition is to raise awareness, challenge and deconstruct some petrified stereotypes that define and box in the perception of nations.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
In 2006, she graduated as a teacher of English and French. Two years later, she received her MA degree in Canadian Studies. She was awarded a research grant in Toronto in 2008 and after that she engaged in teaching for seven years. She started her PhD studies in 2009 and since then she has published articles on Canadian Indigenous Literature, has taught preparatory courses, and has been attending international conferences. In 2012, she participated in the Thinking Canada Study Tour and did internships in Ottawa. She has done research in Brno, Bolzano, and Ottawa and is currently completing her doctoral studies.