Normative history of Belorussia and its critique at the turn of the twentieth century.

<p>The research is devoted to historical politics in Belorussia and confrontation of two historiographical tendencies &ndash; <em>litvinstvo</em> and <em>zapadnorusism</em>. The distinctions between them make it relevant to introduce a term &rdquo;normative history&rdquo;. Normative history is a treatment of historical process officially propagandized and approved by the authorities. In Belorussia zapadnorusism exercises this role and characterized by anti-polish tendency, anti-catholicism and claiming continuity of Polotsk&rsquo;s principality and the USSR. Litvinstvo, on the contrary, emphasizes Belorussian originality that was accrued during the Grand Duchy of Lithuania period and that differs from Russian originality. &nbsp;</p><p>The aim of this research is analysis of official and nationalistic historiographies inseparably of two ideologies&rsquo; confrontation. The object of the research is comparative analysis of the following historiographical problems:</p><p>1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Medieval Belorussia: principalities of Polotsk and Turov the Grand Duchy of Lithuania</p><p>2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National liberation movements: Kosciuszko Uprising, the Uprising of 1863 and foundation of the Belarusian People&rsquo;s Republic</p><p>3)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The great Patriotic War: guerrillas and collaborationists</p><p>The chronological frameworks embrace the period from the end of the XX century till the first decade of the XXI century.</p><p>A broad array of the sources was examined: the scientific literature (school and university textbooks), academic literature and Lukashenko&rsquo;s speaches were studied.</p><p>Selected historical narratives determine chapter layout.&nbsp; The First chapter is about assessments of Polotsk&rsquo;s and Turov&rsquo;s principalities and Belorussia as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Moreover the role of the Orthodox church as an element of the national idea was examined. The chapter Two is devoted to national liberation movements in Belarusian historiography: Kosciuszko Uprising, the Uprising of 1863 and foundation of the Belarusian People&rsquo;s Republic. The Belorussian historiography of the great Patriotic War is examined in the Third chapter, the problems of the image of guerrillas and collaborationists and the role of the War as a nationbuilding narrative are also touched upon.</p>