emergent countries, emergent media: currency as national identity
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Emergent Countries, Emergent Media
~~~~~ Currency as Na6onal Iden6ty
Heather Lusty University of Nevada, Las Vegas
“…[A]lmost all independent countries choose to assert their na6onality by having, to their own inconvenience and that of their neighbors, a peculiar currency of their own.” ~ John Stuart Mill, 1848.
Croa6a ~ 1991
Croa6a declared its independence from Yugoslavia (1918-‐1992) in 1991, one of the first republics of Yugoslavia to do so. Croa6a’s first state issued currency (1991-‐1993), the Dinar(a), featured a portrait of Roger Joseph Boskovic on the front, and Ivan Mestrovic’s 1932 sculpture Glasojlica Mother Croa6a on the reverse.
Croa6an Dinar R. Boskovic was an 18th c physicist, astronomer, mathema6cian, philosopher, poet, diplomat (et al) from Dubrovnik whose fame and pres6ge mark Croa6a as a post-‐Renaissance culture in its own right.
Croa6an Dinar The Glasoljica Croa6an Mother sculpture, by Ivan Mestrovic, is a na6onal symbol of Croa6a, the keeper of Croa6an heritage and iden6ty.
Ukraine ~ 1991
Divided between the Tsardom of Russia and Hapsburg Austria during the Par66ons of Poland (1772-‐1795), briefly independent and interna6onally recognized during the Russian Revolu6on (1905), and one of the founding republics of the Soviet Union (1922), Ukraine finally gained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
Ukrainian Karbovantsiv Ukraine’s first state-‐issued karbovantsiv (1991-‐1992) featured two versions of the founding Vikings of Kiev (a medieval Viking stronghold and commercial center), and a portrait of the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev on the reverse.
Ukrainian Karbovantsiv Lower denomina6on karbovanets feature Libyd, sister to the founding brothers (see next slide). Libyd’s figure on the front of the notes emphasizes Kiev’s Viking heritage through its ship-‐prow pose; the image also echoes the Winged Victory (Louvre), a clear associa6on with classical seafaring na6ons.
Ukrainian Karbovantsiv Higher denomina6on karbovantsiv feature Kiev’s founding Viking brothers, Kyi, Shcheck, and Khoryv, with sister Libyd on the prow. Both front images recall Ukraine’s pre-‐colonial and pre-‐Soviet Republic state, emphasizing its rich cultural heritage and independent history.
Belarus ~ 1992
Aier a long stretch of occupancy by the Kingdom of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish Lithuania Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, and then the Soviet Union, Belarus declared its independence in 1991.
Belarussian Ruble The first Belarussian rubles (1992-‐1996) featured a “Pagonya” warrior on horseback (a recurring historical figure associated with Belarus before it was occupied and absorbed by neighboring states; the “Pagonya” was approved as the official emblem of the Republic of Belarus on May 14, 1995) on the front of all denomina6ons. The reverse showcased a variety of local wildlife on the lower values, and architecture on the higher (Victory Plaza, Academy of Sciences Bldg., and city views, all the capital of Minsk).
European Union ~ 1999 The introduc6on of the euro in 1999 marked an important recogni6on by an interna6onal body of the importance of individual culture within a shared community. Planning and prepara6on for the launch of the new currency took years. The notes share the same designs across all countries in Europe, inspired by the theme “ages and styles of Europe,” depic6ng the architectural styles from seven periods of Europe’s cultural history through elements such as windows, gateways, and bridges: Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, Iron and glass architecture, and Modern twen6eth-‐century architecture (Eagleton and Williams 246). The choice of architectural images are intended to show the unity between European na6ons, with a window or doorway on the front of each note to symbolize openness and coopera6on, and a bridge on the back represen6ng coopera6on and communica6on between Europe and the world (246).
Libya ~ 2012
Although the modern state of Libya was created in 1951, the 2011 revolu6on that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi’s government necessitated a redesign of the na6onal currency (and the removal of dictator’s visage from said currency). English text has replaced the Arabic text on the back, and the Gaddafi era “Jamahiriya” (“Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,” established 1977) has been removed from the notes.
Islamic State ~ 2014 Islamic State announced plans for a new “na6onal” currency in November 2014 by Isis, as a move to “emancipate itself from the satanic global economic system;” propaganda shows designs for a range of coins (quoted in Dearden, 3). They recently released photos of coinage they claim to be min6ng: one side is the message: “The Islamic State – a caliphate based on the doctrine of the Prophet” in Arabic; (Dearden 2). The propaganda released included explana6ons of the design details; “images including wheat stalks, crescents a shield and sword deno6ng jihad, a map of the world (reflec6ng the group’s aspira6ons for global dominance), and even renderings of a pair of Islamic landmarks, the Umayyad mosque in Damascus and Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. The group provided explana6ons of each design and its grounding in Islamic religious texts” (Bulos 2).
Scotland ~ 20 ??
Several countries and regions around Europe (and elsewhere) are ac6vely eyeing independence from their current parent systems based on iden6ty and shared cultural heritage. Scotland’s succession vote in Sept. 2014 (defeated by a very slim margin) and Catalonia’s affirma6ve vote (2015) to succeed from Spain are indica6ons that the na6onal borders created in the aiermath of WWI and WWII are not as clear and firm as “parent” cultures assume.
Defaced Bri6sh Pound
Image courtesy of The Scotsman, by Dundee Courier. 01 Feb 2016.
In early 2016, blue and black s6ckers reading “Scossh UDI movement” (Unilateral Declara6on of Independence) began appearing on currency across the country. The s6ckers cover/obscure the Queen’s head on one side, instead promo6ng the blue wording over the outline of a Sal6re (the na6onal flag of Scotland).
Conclusion
Na6onal currency is a prominent, public visual medium through which countries ar6culate and maintain concep6ons of shared cultural heritage and na6onal iden6ty. As the poli6cal globe con6nues to evolve, we will see more such expressions of na6onalism through currency (and postage) – integral manifesta6ons of socio-‐ethnic ideology and iden6ty.
References Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communi3es: Reflec3ons on the Origin and Spread of Na3onalism. London: Verso, 1983. Bulos, Nabih. “Islamic State wants to create its own currency.” Los Angeles Times. 13 November 2014. Web. Cuhaj, George S. Editor. Standard Catalog of World Paper Money. General Issues: 1961-‐present. 14th Edi6on. Wisconsin: Krause Publica6ons, 2008. Dearden, Lizzie. “Isis claims to mint gold and silver coins for currency free from ‘satanic’ global Economy.” The Independent. 24 June 2015. Eagleton, Catherine, and Johnathan Williams. Money: A History. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 1997. Hart, Keith. The Memory Bank: Money in an Unequal World. New York: TEXERE, 2000. Helleiner, Eric. “Na6onal Currencies and Na6onal Iden66es.” The American Behavioral Scien3st (Aug 1998): 1409-‐36. Mudd, Douglas. All the Money in the World: The Art of History of Paper Money and Coins from An3quity to the 21st Century. Singapore: Harper Collins, 2006.
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