Date of Award
Summer 2024
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Comparative Literature
First Advisor
Judith Kalb
Abstract
This dissertation explores the emotional and social impact of significant Soviet historical events, including World War II, the Soviet-Afghan War, and the Chornobyl disaster, on collective memory. Svetlana Alexievich, a Belarusian Nobel Prize laureate, employs a polyphonic narrative technique to challenge official histories of these events and foreground the voices of ordinary people, particularly women. Focusing on her works – The Unwomanly Face of War, Zinky Boys, and Chernobyl Prayer – the study delves into the gendered experiences and narratives of women involved in these events. Integrating feminist scholarship on international relations and security, this research analyzes women’s roles in political violence and their varied responses, offering new insights into the intersection of gender, conflict, and nationalism. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of women’s roles in both historical and contemporary contexts of political strife, challenging prevailing views on femininity and violent actions. Through Alexievich’s narratives, the dissertation underscores the importance of emotional representation in revisiting national traumatic experiences. Her exploration of women’s participation in political violence exposes the complex roles and positions women occupy, demonstrating that gender identities are more intricate than binary classifications. Alexievich’s work thus remains relevant, offering insights that help contextualize and interpret contemporary conflicts, highlighting the multifaceted nature of women’s experiences in violent settings.
Rights
© 2024, Liubov Kartashova
Recommended Citation
Kartashova, L.(2024). “Finally Somebody Wants to Hear Us”: Soviet Women and Political Violence in Svetlana Alexievich’s Narratives. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/7958