We wish to devote this section to reviewing (published recently, in English) books of Hungarian authors / translators living in the Netherlands. Next to this we would like to present you with interesting Hungarian-related book reviews, world-wide.

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Books in Hungarian

Books in Dutch

Content

• László I. Komlósi / Peter Houtlosser / Michiel Leezenberg (Eds.): Communication and Culture - Argumentative, Cognitive and Linguistic Perspectives
• László Marácz: Hungarian Revival - Political Reflections on Central Europe -

Author	László I. Komlósi / Peter Houtlosser / Michiel Leezenberg (Eds.)
Title	Communication and Culture - Argumentative, Cognitive and Linguistic Perspectives -
Review	Communication and Culture: Argumentative, Cognitive and Linguistic Perspectives presents a selection of the papers that were presented at the Dutch-Hungarian Conference on Crosscultural Linguistics and Intercultural Communication, organized by the University of Pécs, Hungary, at the regional Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Villa Vasváry), 21-23 February, 2002. The original title of the conference was "Communication Conference on Social Cognition and Verbal Communication: Cultural Narratives and Linguistic Identities in a Period of Social Transition." The conference was held under the auspices of the intergovernmental agreement "Joint Work Plan for Dutch-Hungarian Cooperation in Education 2000-2002." Communication and Culture focuses on cognitive and linguistic aspects of intercultural communication and applied argumentation. Research on these topics has intensified considerably in recent years. In higher education, the broadening of international education is putting an increasing demand on the understanding of intercultural and multicultural communication. Modern linguistic pragmatics, applied argumentation theory and discourse analysis enable an integrated approach to these varieties of verbal communication, and to the cultural narratives that they bring to the fore. The book has special relevance for scholars of intercultural communication, social cognition, cognitive linguistics, pragmatics and argumentation, political thought and educational reform.
Publisher/Year	Sic Sat, Amsterdam / 2003
ISBN	90-74049-08-7
Price	20,- euro
Distribution	Sic Sat: P.O. Box 3267, 1001 AB Amsterdam Email: sicsat@hum.uva.nl

(22 August 2003)

Author	László Marácz
Title	Hungarian Revival - Political Reflections on Central Europe -
Review	Since 'the wall' fell in 1989, enormous changes have taken place in Central Europe. The political, national, cultural and geographical patterns that had shaped Central Europe until the time of the First World War again began to emerge. The power and dynamism of the Wilsonian right to self-determination and autonomy wich, according to Wilson, national communities will inevitably claim for themselves, is now asserted. The biggest minority issue is that of the Hungarians. The Treaty of Trianon (1920), which for 75 years has influenced the workings of the power constellation in the region, was responsible for depriving Hungary of two-thirds of its territory and for turning millions of Hungarians domiciled in surrounding countries into second-class citizens. Even today, Hungarian communities are still exposed to the cruel and relentless psychological and physical terror that, in some states, has taken the form of genocide. Things have started to change, though. The structure of countries caught in the grasp of tyrrany, such as Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, has already disintegrated and now the Hungarians are preparing to deal with their new-found autonomy. Until now, the West has paid little attention to Hungary's affairs. In this book, Dr. László Marácz shows how people's image of Hungary is built on stereotype notions and prejudices. Hungarians are stigmatised as being 'nationalistic', 'irredentist', 'revisionist' and 'anti-Semitic', a far cry from the courage of a people brave enough to organize an uprising in the way that the Hungarians did in 1956 when, unarmed, they rose against the Soviet Union to fight for their independence. In the upheavals of 1989, the Hungarians were again at the forefront and active in instigating the fall of Ceausescu, the 'Rumanian genius'. The West appears to have made an error of judgement. Despite historical setbacks that have led to national disunity, the Hungarians have remained the only loyal discussion partners of the West in Central Europe. *** Dr. László Marácz is a scholar specializing on Central Europe. He is a lecturer of the Eastern-Europe Institute, Hungarian Studies at the University of Amsterdam.
Publisher/Year	Uitgeverij Aspekt b.v. / 1996
ISBN	90-75323-11-5
Price	$28
Distribution	Aspekt P.O. Box 7081, 3430 JB Nieuwegein, the Netherlands Tel.: +31-306051196; Fax: +31-306056409 Email: Aspekt@knoware.nl

(17 March 2001)

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