Cultural Studies paper by Szélpál, Lívia
The Reconstruction of Szeged: a city at cultural crossroads (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Ironically, the tragic event of the Great Flood (1879) in Szeged had positive consequences for this provincial market town; the city’s planners had a free hand in introducing the latest achievements of urban planning when they designed the new master plan of the town. My presentation aims to focus on the traces of intercultural exchange in relation to the reconstruction of Szeged. Firstly, the presentation argues that the Great Flood was well-reported by the international media and raised the attention of the large public at an unprecedented, global level. Newspapers such as The Times in London and Le Figaro in Paris closely followed the events of the tragedy and covered the reconstruction works on a weekly basis. Several U.S. newspapers, for instance, the New York Times, and the Harper’s New Monthly Magazine also reported about the Flood. The reactions of the Hungarian, North-American and European media contributed considerably to the reconstruction of the city. Secondly, the paper focuses on the asymmetrical comparison of the American and Hungarian urban planning scenarios after natural disasters through the examples of Chicago and Szeged. Chicago’s rebuilding (1871) was among the first models for Szeged’s reconstruction but the royal commission opted for the Parisian model. Finally, it analyzes the cultural impacts of the disaster. For instance, Franz Liszt’s piano play (Revive Szégedin! Marche Hongroise d(e) Szabady-Ochestree par J. Massenet, transcribe pour piano par Franz Liszt) was dedicated to the rebirth of the city. The central theme of this presentation is to highlight the multiple levels of intercultural exchange in relation to the reconstruction of Szeged.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Lívia Szélpál works as an assistant lecturer at the Department of English Literatures and Cultures, University of Pécs, Hungary. She teaches courses in American history and American literature and culture. Her research interests include the history (including the unconventional histories) of the USA, the issue of history on film, urban history, modern and contemporary American culture.