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Κωπηλάτες (περιοδικό συζήτησης και προβληματισμού)


Visiting the centre of Athens in the run-up to Christmas can be a harrowing experience and my visit to my favourite bookshops confirmed this. At this time of the year browsing through their bookshelves is a very crowded affair but sometimes can reward you with the unexpected discovery of fascinating finds. This is exactly what happened to me when I came across the review Κωπηλάτες (περιοδικό συζήτησης και προβληματισμού). The 3d issue of the review boasts seven articles examining the relationship between the Greek society and its neighbours. As the introductory note by its editor, Petros Markaris, indicates, this issue is intended to challenge the ignorance and oblivion that provides nationalist entrepreneurs of all hues with the opportunity to cultivate chauvinism and a state of fear and xenophobia. Articles on Greece and its relationship with its neighbours by Alexis Iraklidis, two decades of disastrous Greek policy on the Macedonian issue by Sifis Fitsanakis and on the Balkans and the eyes of others by Lena Divani are just the cherry on the top of an exquisite excursus on the notion of the other in contemporary Greece. This is definitely one of the most daring and well planned intervention that makes Κωπηλάτες a most valuable forum of critical thought.

Μια επίσκεψη στο κέντρο της Αθήνας τις παραμονές των χριστουγέννων μπορεί να αποτελέσει δοκιμή και η επίσκεψή μου στα αγαπημένα μου βιβλιοπωλεία μάλλον επιβεβαίωσε κάτι τέτοιο. Η αναζήτηση βιβλίων στά ράφια τους τέτοιες μέρες μέσα στο πλήθος μπορεί να σε ανταμείψει με την απρόσμενη ανακάλυψη κάποιου σπάνιου ευρήματος. Αυτό ακριβώς μου συνέβη όταν βρέθηκα μπροστά στο τρίτο τεύχος της πολιτικής επιθεώρησης με τίτλο Κωπηλάτες (περιοδικό συζήτησης και προβληματισμού). Το συγκεκριμένο τεύχος περιέχει επτά άρθρα που εξετάζουν την σχέση της Ελληνικής κοινωνίας με τους γείτονές της. Όπως κάνει σαφές και το εισαγωγικό σημείωμα του διευθυντή του περιοδικού Πέτρου Μάρκαρη το τεύχος αυτό αποσκοπεί στην κριτική αντιμετώπιση της άγνοιας η οποία επιτρέπει στους κάθε είδους εθνοκάπηλους να καλλιεργούν τον σωβινισμό και την ξενοφοβία.

Άρθρα όπως αυτό του Αλέξη Ηρακλείδη για τον εθνοκεντρισμό στις Ελληνοτουρκικές σχέσεις, ή του Σήφη Φιτσανάκη για την καταστροφική διαχείρηση του Μακεδονικού επί δύο δεκαετίες ή της Λένας Διβάνη με τίτλο «Τα Βαλκάνια και τα μάτια των άλλων αποτελούν ένα μικρό δειγμα του τι επιφυλάσσεται στον αναγνώστη. Οι Κωπηλάτες είναι αναμφίβολα ένα ανεκτίμητο forum κριτικής σκέψης και προβληματισμού»).

Το τρίτο αλλά και τα προηγούμενα τευχη του περιοδικού μπορείτε να προμηθευτείτε στο βιβλιοπωλείο των εκδόσεων Γαβριηλίδη (Μαυρομιχάλη 18, Αθήνα, τηλ. 210-3636514).
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