Generation-Units: A Theoretical Discussion and Some Historical Evidence from the European Avant-Garde Art Movements

Öz

This study provides a discussion on the term generation-unit, which has a central position in Karl Mannheim’s sociology of generation, with its theoretical implications and with some examples on European Avant-Garde art movements in its historical dimension. Generation-units are defined as integrative attitudes that bring members of generations together. Generations consist of social groups of differentiated tendencies competing with each other. The generational identity is formed and represented by the dominant generation-units within a generation. Generation-units are discussed mostly through historical and intellectual movements because of the intensive inner-generational diversity and antagonism. In this study, the European Avant-Garde art movements are evaluated as one of the historical examples in which generation-units are embodied. European Avant-Garde art movements, with an influential critique to modernity, manifest themselves through differing generational experiences in Western and Eastern Europe. The Western European Avant-Garde emerges as a generation-unit that has been decisive for many generations in field of art, politics and social theory, from the late nineteenth to the mid twentieth century. The Eastern European Avant-Garde, represented by the Russian Avant-Garde, is a shorter-lived generation-unit and is significant in its conflict with the political generation-units of the Soviet revolution generation and its extinction by them.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Generations
• Generation-units
• Mannheim
• Avant-Garde
• Art

Generation-Units: A Theoretical Discussion and Some Historical Evidence from the European Avant-Garde Art Movements

Öz

This study provides a discussion on the term generation-unit, which has a central position in Karl Mannheim’s sociology of generation, with its theoretical implications and with some examples on European Avant-Garde art movements in its historical dimension. Generation-units are defined as integrative attitudes that bring members of generations together. Generations consist of social groups of differentiated tendencies competing with each other. The generational identity is formed and represented by the dominant generation-units within a generation. Generation-units are discussed mostly through historical and intellectual movements because of the intensive inner-generational diversity and antagonism. In this study, the European Avant-Garde art movements are evaluated as one of the historical examples in which generation-units are embodied. European Avant-Garde art movements, with an influential critique to modernity, manifest themselves through differing generational experiences in Western and Eastern Europe. The Western European Avant-Garde emerges as a generation-unit that has been decisive for many generations in field of art, politics and social theory, from the late nineteenth to the mid twentieth century. The Eastern European Avant-Garde, represented by the Russian Avant-Garde, is a shorter-lived generation-unit and is significant in its conflict with the political generation-units of the Soviet revolution generation and its extinction by them..

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Generations
• Generation-units
• Mannheim
• Avant-Garde
• Art

Kaynakça

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