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• Understanding Aspects to the Ethnospecific Researches on the Gypsy Jazz

  23-39

  Andras A. Gergely

  Views:

  48

  The early “research of Gypsies”, romology, then the visible and the hidden processes of
  “tziganology” in anthropology included a shift in the state of understanding between the
  hillside of critical interpretation studies and that of local group psychology. They also involved
  the research of folk tales, dancing, poverty, examining segregation and participatory action
  methodology as well as innovation and rebirth of the musicological research of Gypsy music.
  The terminological aspect of “us” and “others”, expressing alterity and identity, points towards
  the more complex study of (ethnic) “minorities”, moreover knowledge and field studies, and
  results of examining narratives (such as tales, dances, visual worksof art, publicity, religion and
  community), bring us closer (by way of political and scientific pragmatism) to signalling a new
  era of empathic understanding. The aim of the paper is to highlight the ways leading to that
  goal, putting the musical aspects of the shift in focus, consisting of stylistic inventions, a worldmusic-based openness towards instruments and performance cultures, which nevertheless still
  carries the signs of a new era of projection and knowledge contents, first-person-narrative and
  narrative identities. Finding answers to the question “where did it come from” might be aided
  by contemplating “where does it go”. This would be both the aim and partially the structure of
  my thematic essay.

• Hopes and concerns of democratization: Ideas about popular vote in Hungarian political discourse 1985–1989

  5-27

  Anna Unger

  Views:

  72

  The article analyzes the political discourse concerning direct democracy between 1985–89, when the issue of introducing popular vote at local and national level became relevant, both as a general institutional reform of political decision-making, and as the result of some major initiatives launched by social movements. The analysis covers the related law journal articles, party-state documents, the writings of political and intellectual elites (including the opposition), and the wider public (mainly daily and weekly newspapers). The discourse analysis is based on the academic literature of direct democracy and some new aspects, like the timing of introducing direct democracy, its role and perspectives, the consideration of threats and benefits, and the relevance of international examples as possible models for reform. The paper finds that the opposition and the party-state regarded the introduction of popular vote differently: while the emerging opposition emphasised the function of controling the state power by popular votes, the party-state expected to stop shrinking its social legitimacy. Meanwhile, general public seemed to be indifferent about this remarkable democratic reform.