Regionalism in History, 1890-1945: The Cultural Approach

Only recently the region has become an object of analysis again. Particularly the cultural approach, focusing on the process of regional identity formation, is producing remarkable results. Nevertheless, the strength of regionalism in many European countries during the period 1890-1945, which has been neglected for many decades, is still underestimated. The regionalist movement rivalled the avant-garde in trying to reform existing high culture from an almost opposite point of view. Regionalist art and vernacular architecture were highly valued until World War II. Even in recent studies, however, regionalism and regional movements are mainly studied within one national context. Consequently, its origins and development are generally explained within the same context as well. Only a comparative study can do justice to this truly international phenomenon, which profoundly affected the sense of belonging of millions of people in this crucial period of European history.