Perilous States: Conversations on Culture, Politics, and Nation

The first in an annual series that aims to examine the fin-de-siecle challenges facing institutions and people, this book probes thoughtfully into questions of nationalism through dialogues between American scholars and residents of other countries. Interviewing six Russian writers, Bruce Grant finds deep pessimism about the survival of local culture and the prospects for democracy. Sam Beck weaves interview and narrative to portray a Romanian sociologist exploring his Romanian gypsy origins and leading an unusual attempt at ethnic solidarity. Some of the most interesting entries show the scholar's design: in a conversation with Polish philosopher Leszek Koczanowicz, Michael M.J. Fischer creates a ``dialogic collage'' to show the conflicts and complexities of Polish nationalism; traversing the touchy questions of culture and nation in South Africa, David Coplan juxtaposes the voices of ``white Zulu'' musician Johnny Clegg, Zulu professor of music Bongani Mthethwa, mixed-race professor of Afrikaans Hein Willemse and African National Congress official Barbara Masakela. Marcus co-edited Writing Culture . Illustrations not seen by PW. (Jan.)