Original scientific paper
Deadly grimaces of rebellion and humilation (about the face of the Other during the period of transition)
Boris Gunjević
Abstract
The author's intention in this article is to show that it is impossible to understand Mardešić's sociological investigations, interests, and conclusions without understanding his (auto) biographical insights. The consequences of these insights had determined his life and academic career. Mardešić's confession about his personal rebellions and humiliations at the beginning of his book "Faces and Masks of the Holy" can be read and interpreted in different ways. One of such possible readings and interpretations is the subject of this article. Mardešić begins the chapter titled "Personal Memory" with a confessional description of his life where upon he shows us that it was determined by three rebellions with each consequently following the other. Those rebellions were imposed on Mardešić and were preceded by humiliations. With humiliation first, then morality and goodness, I understand his confession as a certain form of hermeneutical strategy and believe that it can help us explain the contemporary systematic humiliations of a transitional and post communist country such as Croatia following the traumatic experiences of war. I will add certain conclusions following the insights of Levinasian ethics of the Other to Mardešić's sociological methodology for one reason only. My intention is to describe one
possible "personal" rebellion following Mardešić's example in his confession.
Keywords
confession; rebellion; humiliation; reason; morality; goodness; face; the Other; transition; postmodernism
Hrčak ID:
28988
URI
Publication date:
23.8.2008.
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