Media Representations of Romanian Identity: Re-Defining the Romanian 'Other' within the European Cultural Space

摘要

This article proposes an analysis of various representations of Romanian identity in contemporary media, especially British press in the context of the free access to the labour market for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens. The article shows that these representations are marked by a series of negative stereotypes, both linguistic cliches and images, and tries to analyse the way in which these negative characterizations affect the public image of the Romanians.The main objective of our research is to explain the mechanisms of these stereotypical representations according to which Romania and its citizens appear as the malefic, vicious and always undesirable Other. This assertion is supported by a brief diachronic study of different depictions of Romania in British media, especially nineteenth century travel writing and other literary sources, like Bram Stoker's Dracula, which are considered to be highly influential even today in the construction of contemporary representations of the Romanians. At the same time, the paper attempts to identify elements which are fundamental in the characterization of Romanian identity and sustains that Romania is geographically and culturally an integrant part of Europe and of its political and economic institutions (as a member of the EU) and that its great cultural heritage can contribute to the cultural diversity of Europe. In the new context created by the debates on the importance of the cultural policies and projects which may bring a solution to some of the EUs most critical problems, an attempt at re-defining Romanian identity and at delineating its locus on the European geo-political and cultural map seems appropriate.The critical tools are represented by different concepts offered by imagology and cultural and media theories.