Michael Brie - Rudolf Woderich (eds.): Die PDS im Parteiensystem, Berlin, Karl Dietz Verlag 2000, 264 stran

Knižní recenze / Book Review

Periferialita Dolní a Horní Lužice a národní otázka Lužických Srbů na pozadí teoretických východisek Steina Rokkana

The present article analyses the problem of peripheriality of Upper and Lower Lusatia and the question of the nation of Lusatian Sorbs in the perspective of Stein Rokkan`s theory. The analysed historical countries belonging to the category of enclave peripheries had a peripherial status both in horizontal and vertical dimensions of peripheriality throughout the history. Their key characteristics are distance, dependence and difference. The Lusatian Sorbs are the bearer of a different - distinctive identity, which is an important attribute of a periphery. Three domains of social life: politics, economics and culture, in which the peripheriality can exist are subsequently analysed. In political domain the political and administrative division of the Sorbian dwelling area and polycephalic net of predominantly German speaking towns is stressed. In economic domain the late industrialisation brought influx of non-Sorbian speakers, heightened the influence of German as dominant language standard and thus weakened the peripheral language. In cultural domain the language/educational and religious questions are discussed in detail. The existence of two Sorbian language standards was a barrier for the nation culture unification process and the measures reducing the usage of Sorbian language at schools endangered the perspective of development of Sorbian national identity. The religious Protestant/Catholic division is identified as the third one having impact on the evolution of Lusatian Sorbs