Book chapter
English

“We felt that the country was in the stage of a rough cut . . .” : Vernacular Documentation, Political Affect and the Ideological Functions of Catharsis

PublisherVernon Press
Publication date2023
Abstract

In March 2014, I attended the first screening of Euromaidan: Rough Cut—a collective documentary chronicle of the Ukrainian Maidan Revolution. Quite unexpectedly, the event ended with an improvised mourning ritual for deceased Maidan protesters. Observed in the film, this ritual then transcended the screen and spread through the audience, stimulating an experience similar to a “collective catharsis.” What are the reasons for such a strong affective response to a visual document, capturing the fluidity of still unfolding revolutionary events? This paper considers both the documentary and its screening as invaluable research sites, allowing us to study ethnographically the uncertainties preceding and accompanying the reification of (new) ideological narratives. By discussing the multifaceted understanding of cathartic experiences in the complex processes of group-building, truth-finding and justice-making, this paper considers new directions for anthropological understanding of collective catharsis, as it is experienced in post-industrial democratic societies.

Keywords
  • Maidan revolution
  • Documentary film
  • Political affect
  • Catharsis
Citation (ISO format)
TCHERMALYKH, Nataliya. “We felt that the country was in the stage of a rough cut . . .” : Vernacular Documentation, Political Affect and the Ideological Functions of Catharsis. In: Freedom Taking Place War, Women, and Culture at the Intersection of Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus. Jessica Zychowicz (Ed.). [s.l.] : Vernon Press, 2023. p. 53–82.
Main files (1)
Book chapter (Published version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
  • PID : unige:169019
Additional URL for this publicationhttps://vernonpress.com/book/1668
ISBN978-1-64889-590-6
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Creation22/05/2023 14:44:14
First validation23/05/2023 12:12:30
Update time23/05/2023 12:12:30
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