The English-language thematic issue 2024/4 of Betekintő focuses on popular music in the Central and Eastern European countries in the Soviet Union’s sphere of influence during the Cold War (1945–1989).

In recent decades, the study of popular music has become a major field of research. Popular music is not only studied by musicologists, but it has also become an important field of research for sociologists and social historians. Pop music, which can be linked to lifestyle, leisure activities, entertainment or even the expression of political views, is studied in different disciplines, often using various methods and diverse approaches. These works, however, are still primarily national in character, i.e. they interpret particular phenomena, genres, bands and processes within a national framework. By popular music we mean traditional dance music, beat, rock, jazz, blues, the increasingly popular national folk music, as well as the various new social and musical phenomena, groups and genres that emerged from the late 1960s (e.g. polbeat, new wave, punk, metal, disco).
The main focus of the thematic issue of Betekintő is on popular music genres, phenomena, musical groups, bands and subcultures in the countries of the Soviet System, their relationship with the state and party organs, their versatile, complex and changing relations with them, and the surveillance of specific artists and bands by state security. In other words, we want to show the relationship between the pop culture scene and the power.
The primary aim of this issue is to provide links, or perhaps even hubs, between Czechoslovak, East German, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish and Yugoslavian topics, which will also serve to better understand similar phenomena in the Soviet sphere of interest.
With this Call for Papers, Betekintő wishes to contribute to the further development of this widespread exchange of ideas. For this year's thematic issue, we expect case studies, studies and theoretical essays which are written from a state security perspective and will enrich the academic discourse on the subject with new perspectives. Betekintő is also open to publishing reviews of related publications.
The abstracts of up to 300 words should be sent by the deadline below. The maximum length of papers is 60,000 characters (including spaces). Please note that only manuscripts prepared in accordance with our citation guidelines (Chicago Manuel of Style) will be accepted. For more information, please click here: https://www.betekinto.hu/en/for_our_authors 
Abstract submission deadline: 30 June 2024.
Manuscript submission deadline: 25 November 2024.
Please send abstracts and manuscripts to the official email address of the editorial office: betekinto@abtl.hu

 

 

 

 

Discussion held during Book Fairs in Katowice, discussants: Karol Polejowski PhD, DSc. (IPN Deputy President), Filip Musiał PhD habil. (editor-in-chief of "Aparat Represji w Polsce Ludowej 1944–1989"), Daniel Czerwiński PhD (deputy editor-in-chief of "Pamięć i Sprawiedliwość"), Tomasz Domański PhD (deputy editor-in-chief of "Polish-Jewish Studies"), Mariusz Żuławnik PhD (editor-in-chief of "Przegląd Archiwalny IPN"), Franciszek Dąbrowski PhD (deputy editor-in-chief of "Institute of National Remembrance Review"), Adam Dziuba PhD habil. (editor-in-chief of "Komunizm: System – Ludzie – Dokumentacja"), moderation: Jędrzej Lipski PhD.

 

 

 

Discussion concerning themes of issues 3 and 4  of  "Institute of National Remembrance Review", discussants: Prof. Jan Szumski (IPN, Birkenmajer Institute for the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences), Prof. Władysław Bułhak (IPN), Witold Rodkiewicz PhD (Centre for Eastern Studies, Warsaw), Anna K. Piekarska (IPN), Franciszek Dąbrowski PhD (IPN, War Studies University, Warsaw).