Transnational Cultural Diplomacy across and beyond the Nylon Curtain: Policies, Actors, Networks, Texts

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

Analyzing the flow of a great variety of texts (manuscripts, leaflets, newspapers, journals, books) circulating across and beyond the Iron Curtain – a geopolitical and ideological border extremely permeable to cultural object, rightly defined “Nylon Curtain” by György Péteri – this round table will highlight the role of book diplomacy during the Cultural Cold War. With this aim, the participants will discuss the cultural policies of several countries (USSR, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, USA) and the agency of socio-cultural actors (individuals and institutions) in cooperating and mediating the transnational circulation of manuscripts (samizdat) and printed materials (tamizdat, gosizdat).

Sub Unit

• Literature: 20th Century

Chair

• Ostap Kin, Stanford U

Roundtable Members

• Susan Ikonen, U of Helsinki (Finland)

• Ilaria Sicari, Ca' Foscari U of Venice (Italy)