Archives, Citizens and Politicians

Oct 21, 2013 - Nov 9, 2013

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Exhibition of archival material in cooperation with the General State Archives and the Society of Greek Archivists, and with the contribution of the Library of the Hellenic Parliament...

By means of previously undisclosed archival material spanning over a whole century and tracing back to the archives of various state entities and political personalities, a reverse read of the citizen-politician relationship is attempted for the very first time. More precisely, the relationship is being read from the aspect of the bond citizens actively maintain with politicians and representatives of state institutions such as Presidents of the Republic, Prime Ministers or even Royalty as persons. Material exhibited includes requests about people’s everyday lives, submitted by various individuals of all walks of life who state their expectations, their needs and their “opinions” about the duties of politicians and the state.

The archival material on display sheds light on the rhetoric people use to assert their problems and how they understand their relation to politics and politicians. The material reveals an almost metaphysical and religious speech that calls on politicians for intervention. In fact, contrary to popular belief, granting requests is a rather impulsive behavior reflecting the terms of an informal but quasi-implicit contract binding the two parties. The archival material included in the exhibition constitutes a first-rate opportunity for re-examination of our political culture.

Guided Tours

Saturday, October 26, 2013, 11:00 & 12:00
Saturday, November 2, 2013, 11:00 & 12:00
Saturday, November 9, 2013, 11:00 & 12:00

Information

Organizer	General State Archives, Society of Greek Archivists, Hellenic American Union
Venue	Hellenic American Union Galleries
Start Date	21/10/2013
End Date	09/11/2013
Opening	Monday, October 21st, 2013, 20:30
Gallery Hours/Duration	Monday-Friday: 12:00-21:00, Saturday: 10:30-12:30, closed on Sunday
Type	Exhibition
Participants	Library of the Hellenic Parliament
Interpretation Provided:	No
Registration Required:	No
Reservation Required:	No
Admission Fee	Admission is free