National Identity, Cultural Memory, and the Interpretations of St. Nedelya Church in Batak, Bulgaria
| dc.contributor.advisor | Iannantuono, Ketty | |
| dc.contributor.author | Tsentner, Viktoria | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-07-14 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis investigates how national identity and cultural memory influence interpretations of St. Nedelya Church in Batak, Bulgaria- a significant heritage site commemorating the 1876 Batak massacre. The study aims to understand how Bulgarian and international visitors perceive the church differently, and how these interpretations reflect broader narratives of trauma, nationalism, and historical consciousness. Using a qualitative, interpretive methodology, the research relies on the review of relevant scholarly literature, the analysis of visitors’ reviews from Google Maps (2018-2024), and a thematic analysis of Ivan Vazov’s poem Memories from Batak- A Child’s Story (1891), and relevant scholarly literature. Reviews were selected through purposive sampling, ensuring a variety of emotional, symbolic, and descriptive responses from both Bulgarian and international visitors. The analysis highlights four major themes in visitor interpretations: emotional trauma, national sacrifice, religious symbolism, and general tourismrelated observations. Findings show that Bulgarian visitors commonly interpret the site through an emotional and symbolic lens, an interpretation shaped by a national narrative of sacrifice and collective suffering. These interpretations align with theories of prosthetic memory (Landsberg, Marschall) and lieux de mémoire (Nora), suggesting that the church functions as a ritualized site of national mourning. In contrast, international visitors often engage with the church in aesthetic or historical terms, reflecting John Urry’s concept of the tourist gaze and highlighting the absence of shared cultural memory. Vazov’s poem exemplifies prosthetic memory by inviting readers to emotionally identify with the trauma of Batak, even if they did not experience it firsthand, reinforcing the church’s role as a site of national mourning. The thesis concludes that interpretations of historical sites are deeply conditioned by national identity and emotional attachment to the past. While St. Nedelya Church serves as a powerful memory figure for Bulgarians, its significance is often less emotionally resonant for international visitors. This research contributes to heritage and memory studies by illustrating how collective trauma is spatially and emotionally transmitted, and suggests future research through ethnographic interviews and comparative studies of similar heritage sites in postconflict regions. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/handle/123456789/19513 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.thesis.faculty | Faculteit der Letteren | |
| dc.thesis.specialisation | specialisations::Faculteit der Letteren::Bachelor Algemene Cultuurwetenschappen::Arts & Culture Studies | |
| dc.thesis.studyprogramme | studyprogrammes::Faculteit der Letteren::Bachelor Algemene Cultuurwetenschappen | |
| dc.thesis.type | Bachelor | |
| dc.title | National Identity, Cultural Memory, and the Interpretations of St. Nedelya Church in Batak, Bulgaria |
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