Stimmen zum Buch
“With attention to Euromaidan and Crimea alone, it is clear that the relationship between Russia and Ukraine has become increasingly tense (and perilous) over the course of the past decade. Understanding that these tensions and conflicts occur not only on geopolitical but on cultural levels as well, War of Songs is an important and essential contribution to the analysis of this ongoing, often violent struggle. Featuring works by some of the leading scholars in the realm of Post-Soviet Studies, and engaging a wide range of locations, genres, and dynamics the volume is a significant addition to the literature on the intimate relationship between popular music and politics.”—Stephen Amico, Associate Professor of Music, University of Bergen
“War of Songs brings original insight into the tensions and conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in recent years by tracing how they have been played out not only in political discourse and military battle but also in popular culture. Drawing on ethnographic field research, analysis of music, lyrics and videos, and setting popular cultural production in the context of the contemporary political context, the volume provides a valuable, critical contribution to our understanding of one of the major international conflicts of the last decade.”—Hilary Pilkington, Professor of Sociology, University of Manchester
"Although this volume only explores four ways in which the Russia–Ukraine conflict has altered popular musical relations between the two countries for the foreseeable future, its detailed illustrations help to explain why the rupture cuts so deep."—CATHERINE BAKER, Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 72, Issue 8
"A War of Songs is a thoroughly informative and readable account of “how popular music plays an active part in every aspect of the discourse surrounding the Russo-Ukrainian crisis” with the capacity “to stimulate reflection and enable debates, as well as stage mere clashes of opinion” (199, 200). The index of music videos with YouTube links invites readers to listen to these songs along with the authors as they make their case for the patriotic and revolutionary power of music."—Ivan Raykoff, Slavic Review, Vol. 79
"Despite its title, A War of Songs skirts the topic, while possibly hinting, by virtue of its very conceptual framing, that the Russo-Ukrainian war was being waged in the cultural space long before it materialized as an actual military conflict. The book does examine the songs contemporary with the conflict, particularly in its second chapter."—I. Shuvalova, Slavonic and East European Review (vol. 99, no. 2, April 2021)