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Demodernise Greece. Sociological Critique on the Construction of an Alternative Country

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Political and Cultural Aspects of Greek Exoticism

Part of the book series: Reform and Transition in the Mediterranean ((RTM))

Abstract

This chapter starts from the perspective of the cultural sociology of modern Greece and shows that both old and new forms of Greek exoticism have many elements in common. However, the exoticisms that developed during and after the crisis have substantial differences. Specifically, whilst Greece continues to be perceived as the origin of Western civilisation, now it is described as a hub where this civilisation is spectacularly and precursory dismantled and this is why a mechanism of de-modernisation of Greece is activated. The chapter further elaborates on the primacy of “politics” and “Grexit” that function as an expression of the theory of performativity. It also explores the idea of disaster and ruins as necessary elements for the deconstruction of the social contract.

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  1. Department of Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Panayis Panagiotopoulos

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  1. Panayis Panagiotopoulos
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  1. Department of Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Panayis Panagiotopoulos

  2. Department of Administration and Economy, University of Peloponnese, Kalamata, Greece

    Dimitris P. Sotiropoulos

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Panagiotopoulos, P. (2020). Demodernise Greece. Sociological Critique on the Construction of an Alternative Country. In: Panagiotopoulos, P., Sotiropoulos, D. (eds) Political and Cultural Aspects of Greek Exoticism. Reform and Transition in the Mediterranean. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19864-0_5

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