The Romanian myths of origin and the postnational critique: challenging reactionary populism

Archaeologists have long recognized the deep connection between archaeology and nationalism, but it demands renewed attention as reactionary populism and far-right nationalism resurge globally. By exploring the history of Roman archaeology in Romania, this paper highlights how the three Romanian myths of origin-based on the classical past-are linked to wider trends in archaeological theory and politics. It argues that methodological nationalism continues to be highly influential on archaeological research, presenting the postnational critique as a way to understand how the study of the past intersects with national narratives and articulating new ways of acting against it. The postnational critique identifies and questions the use of material and textual evidence from the past in support of methodological nationalism, arguing against the perpetuation of exclusive categories of identity and dualities such as ‘civilisation versus barbarism’. It likewise recognises the need for narratives about the past, and reimagines the past of the region of modern Romania through the postnational lens. Romania is an ideal case-study for the potential of the postnational critique, as the landscape has a lengthy history of diversity and migration which is currently absent from the national narratives, based on the myths of origin which originated in the Enlightenment but remain powerful today. As historian Jill Lepore recently wrote, “When scholars stop trying to write a common history for a people, nationalism doesn’t die. Instead, it eats liberalism.” Archaeologists must be political actors, promoting critical narratives about the past and challenging those who would use it to support reactionary populism or far-right nationalism.
EMILY HANSCAM, DURHAM UNIVERSITY