"Imagined communities" by benedict anderson and theories of historical time

Abstract

The article analyzes the categories of time underlying the concept of "imagined communities" suggested by Benedict Anderson. It traces the genealogy of these categories, as well as their role in the formation of national imagination. The temporal structure in question is further analyzed, based on the works of Reinhart Koselleck regarding the modern notion of history, particularly on his analyses of the category of the "present". The article demonstrates that the modern historical subject is constituted by the "present's" special quality, which combines modes of different order. It suggests that this category of the present may be used as an analytical tool for exploring changes in the relations between categories of time in the postmodern context and connections between these changes and the notions of identity.