E2: The country that cried itself into independence

What happens when you wake up one day and find yourself living in a different country?

     
In this week's episode, we move from the fall of communism in 1989 to the emergence of an independent Slovak state in 1993.

     
For most of this episode, I spoke to people living in Bratislava, the dynamic and at times architecturally puzzling Slovak capital, before returning to Banská Bystrica in central Slovakia for my final conversation. I also made a brief stop in Košice in eastern Slovakia.

     
The thread running through this episode is: what prevents some people in Slovakia from identifying with their own state?

     
Episode breakdown:

• Intro segment: The country that cried itself into independence, with democracy activist Ľuboš Žárský
• Segment 1: The complex nature of Slovak national feeling and identification with the state, with sociologist Miloslav Bahna
• Segment 2: The deep rift within the Slovak elite, then and now, with sociologist Dominik Želinský
• Interlude segment: The limits of solidarity, with professor of social work Katarína Šiňanská
• Segment 3: The country that was founded on a façade, with civil society activist and veteran Peter Medveď

     
Episode soundtrack: TRESTY by Samotay, one of my favorite Slovak indie artists

     
As always, you can reach me with questions, comments or just to say "ahoj" by emailing [e-mail].

     
This episode was produced by Dávid Pál, and hosted and executive produced by me, Jeff Lugowe.
     
You can click on the names of the cities I visited for today's episode if you want to pair your listening experience with a visual trip around Slovakia. Visit the Central Europe Matters website for even more photos, a preview of the rest the season, or if you're curious about who I am and why I started this podcast. 

What is Central Europe Matters?

Welcome to a brand-new, narrative podcast about society, politics and democracy in the heart of Europe. Meet local activists, experts, journalists, artists and others struggling to make sense of what's happening in their countries and of the turbulent times we live in. Between democratic backsliding, far-right populism, the ongoing legacy of 20th century experiments in totalitarianism, and a strategically vital location on the doorstep of Russia and Ukraine, Central Europe is ground zero for the battle over the future of Europe.
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Host Jeff Lugowe draws on his academic study of the region at Brown and Harvard and his knowledge of Polish and Czech as he takes listeners on a journey around the big cities and forgotten corners of Central Europe.
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Season 1: Slovakia — Democracy under Attack launched August 12th. New episodes every Wednesday.
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Central Europe Matters is an independent, DIY narrative podcast hosted and started by Jeff and produced by Dávid Pál. It is generously supported by the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia.