Image and text in the construction of Greek national imaginaries : 'Pyrsos' magazine in the GDR, 1961-1968
The thesis is a critical analysis of Pyrsos, an illustrated magazine published in the GDR between 1961 and 1968 by Greek political refugees, as a case study on the intersection of politics and visual culture during the Cold War. Drawing on the analysis of the magazine's visual and textual language alongside archival research and interviews with its readers, the thesis demonstrates that Pyrsos' efforts to construct, reclaim, perform and imagine the nation from exile were rendered visible in its design and as a result of dialectical juxtapositions that were conceived according to Brechtian artistic methods. The thesis demonstrates that Pyrsos intended to propagate the continuous struggles and patriotism of the Greek Left and prepare its diverse readership for repatriation, a position that was largely supported by its readers despite the different values, meanings and desires they invested in its discourse. The primary finding of the research is that Pyrsos' nationalist/patriotic discourses manifested through Brechtian aesthetics such as anti-illusionism and estrangement/ distanciation practices, mobilised so to generate collective cultural and national identities. Pyrsos' analysis focuses on two themes: its
Ikoniadou, Mary
Image and text in the construction of Greek national imaginaries : 'Pyrsos' magazine in the GDR, 1961-1968. The thesis is a critical analysis of Pyrsos, an illustrated magazine published in the GDR between 1961 and 1968 by Greek political refugees, as a case study on the intersection of politics and visual culture during the Cold War. Drawing on the analysis of the magazine's visual and textual language alongside archival research and interviews with its readers, the thesis demonstrates that Pyrsos' efforts to construct, reclaim, perform and imagine the nation from exile were rendered visible in its design and as a result of dialectical juxtapositions that were conceived according to Brechtian artistic methods. The thesis demonstrates that Pyrsos intended to propagate the continuous struggles and patriotism of the Greek Left and prepare its diverse readership for repatriation, a position that was largely supported by its readers despite the different values, meanings and desires they invested in its discourse. The primary finding of the research is that Pyrsos' nationalist/patriotic discourses manifested through Brechtian aesthetics such as anti-illusionism and estrangement/ distanciation practices, mobilised so to generate collective cultural and national identities. Pyrsos' analysis focuses on two themes: its
image text construction greek national imaginary magazine gdr critical_analysis illustrate magazine publish gdr greek political refugee case_study intersection politics visual_culture cold_war drawing analysis magazine visual textual language alongside archival interview reader demonstrate effort construct reclaim perform imagine nation exile render visible design dialectical juxtaposition conceive accord artistic method demonstrates intend propagate continuous struggle patriotism greek left prepare diverse readership repatriation position largely support reader despite different value meaning desire invest discourse primary find nationalist patriotic discourse manifest aesthetic anti practice mobilise generate collective cultural national_identity analysis focus_two theme