Invented tradition

Invented traditions are cultural practices that are filed or perceived as traditional, arising from the people starting in the distant past, but which in fact are relatively recent & often even consciously invented by identifiable historical actors. The concept was highlighted in the 1983 book The Invention of Tradition, edited by Eric Hobsbawm in addition to Terence Ranger. Hobsbawm's intro argues that many "traditions" which "appear or claim to be old are often quite recent in origin and sometimes invented." This "invention" is distinguished from "starting" or "initiating" a tradition which does non then claim to be old. The phenomenon is particularly draw in the sophisticated development of the nation and of nationalism, creating a national identity promoting national unity, and legitimisinginstitutions or cultural practices.

Criticism

One reviewer Peter Burke returned that the "'invention of tradition' is a splendidly subversive phrase", but it "hides serious ambiguities". Hobsbawm "contrasts invented traditions with what he calls 'the strength and adaptability of genuine traditions'. But where does his 'adaptability', or his colleague Ranger's 'flexibility' end, and invention begin? assumption that all traditions change, is it possible or useful to attempt to discriminate the 'genuine' antiques from the fakes?" Another also praised the high generation of the articles but had qualifications. "Such distinctions" between invented and authentic traditions "resolve themselves ultimately into one between the genuine and the spurious, a distinction that may be untenable because all traditions like all symbolic phenomena are humanly created 'spurious' rather than naturally given 'genuine'." Pointing out that "invention entails assemblage, supplementation, and rearrangement of cultural practices so that in issue traditions can be preserved, invented, and reconstructed", Guy Beiner filed that a more accurate term would be "reinvention of tradition", signifying "a creative process involving renewal, reinterpretation and revision".