Authenticity as a Symbolic Capital of the Folklore Field: The Case of Soviet Latvia
Authenticity as a Symbolic Capital of the Folklore Field: The Case of Soviet Latvia

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the Latvian folklore revival during the late Soviet period (1976–1990) through the lens of field and capital theory. It argues that authenticity functioned as a specific form of symbolic capital within the folklore field, structuring the struggles between folklore revivalists and Soviet cultural authorities. While Soviet officials promoted institutionalized and ideologically aligned representations of folk culture, revivalists mobilized grassroots notions of authenticity – rooted in ancientness, community participation, and national identity – as acts of cultural resistance. The analysis maps how authenticity, as a contested concept, was central to the symbolic struggles over cultural authority, identity, and legitimacy. It highlights how the agents of the folklore movement – such as ensemble leaders, scholars, and musicians – converted cultural and social capital into symbolic power, facilitating the movement’s role in broader national revival processes. The article traces the interplay between institutional control and grassroots agency. It concludes that the strategic use of authenticity enabled a symbolic revolution within the folklore field, prefiguring political transformations of the perestroika period. This study demonstrates the analytical potential of field theory for understanding the cultural politics of authenticity in non-democratic contexts.

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