This thesis explores how the Institut für Literatur ‘Johannes R. Becher’, an East German institution for the training of writers, negotiated tensions that arose from the conflicting demands between literary and political values. The Institute had the objective to foster emerging literary talents according to the socialist ideal of a working writer, but often found students and staff drawn towards more autonomous literary values that were incompatible with the views of the East German Socialist Unity Party. As a result, the Institute’s practices fluctuated between toeing the party line and pursuing literary ambitions. An overview of the existing scholarship shows that the Institute and its function have been highly politicised and hardly subjected to analyses that allow for a more nuanced appraisal of its practices. As a result, the study of the Institut has not been able to transcend the binary differentiation between assent and dissent and the Institute is either presented as a liberal haven or an orthodox academy with little artistic value. This thesis addresses this issue by applying Bourdieu’s’ theory of cultural production, more specifically his notion of field, capital and habitus, to the study of the Becher Institute. Three case studies that form the core of this dissertation investigate how cultural capital in its institutionalised, embodied, and objectified form was accumulated, converted and exchanged by the Institute, how it tried to reconcile the tensions between cultural policy and creative aspirations and how these tensions affected the Institute’s common habitus. The first case study will show how the Institute’s founding shaped the institutionalised capital it represented and question the importance that has been attributed to prominent political figures during the founding process. The second case study examines the role of the lecturer and the influence their embodied capital had on the Institute. Two lecturers, working writer Werner Bräunig and poet Georg Maurer, and their representation of the Institute’s multiple habitus will be the focus of the analysis. The third and final case study is dedicated to objectified cultural capital in the form of the Institute’s publications during the 1970s. The Institute’s orthodox publications have so far been overlooked by scholars in favour of its more controversial literary output, which gives a misleading impression of the Institute’s literary output that I aim to amend. By developing a sociological framework for the study of the Institute, this thesis is able to investigate the Institute and its practices as a social and literary space under the watchful eye of the Socialist Unity Party, without denying its pedagogical and cultural dimensions. The findings will reveal a deeply conflicted institution that struggled throughout its existence to resolve the tensions between literary ambitions and political restraints as well as the contradictions within the literary field itself.

<p>Западна&nbsp; Србија&nbsp; у&nbsp;&nbsp; себи&nbsp; обједињује&nbsp; три&nbsp; округа&nbsp; са24&nbsp; општине&nbsp;&nbsp; у&nbsp; Републици&nbsp; Србији&nbsp; и&nbsp;смештена&nbsp; је&nbsp; у&nbsp;&nbsp; њеном&nbsp; западном&nbsp; делу.&nbsp; Простире&nbsp; се&nbsp; на&nbsp; површини&nbsp; од11.882 km&sup2;&nbsp; што&nbsp; представља&nbsp;13,45%&nbsp; територије&nbsp; Републике.&nbsp; Транзитност&nbsp; положаја&nbsp; је,&nbsp; кроз&nbsp; историју,&nbsp; условио&nbsp; богато&nbsp; културно-историјско наслеђе.&nbsp;</p><p>Западна&nbsp; Србија&nbsp; се&nbsp; у&nbsp; овом&nbsp; истраживању&nbsp;&nbsp; нашла&nbsp; као&nbsp; раскрсница&nbsp; различитих&nbsp; идеологија,&nbsp;култура,&nbsp; менталитета,&nbsp; вера,&nbsp; те&nbsp;&nbsp; богатог&nbsp; материјалног&nbsp; и&nbsp; духовног&nbsp; наслеђа&nbsp; прожетог&nbsp; изузетним&nbsp;природним&nbsp; вредностима.&nbsp; Темељном&nbsp; валоризацијом&nbsp; њених&nbsp; потенцијала,&nbsp; могла&nbsp; би&nbsp; постати&nbsp;окосница развоја туризма, како&nbsp; у&nbsp; административним границама, тако и&nbsp; у&nbsp; ширем региону.&nbsp;</p><p>Обилује&nbsp; споменицима&nbsp; културе&nbsp; где&nbsp; су&nbsp;&nbsp; заступљени&nbsp; најразличитији&nbsp; облици,&nbsp; од&nbsp; археолошких&nbsp;налазишта,&nbsp; преко&nbsp; дела&nbsp; са&nbsp; споменичким&nbsp; и&nbsp; уметничким&nbsp; својствима,&nbsp; до&nbsp; савремених&nbsp; облика&nbsp;културног&nbsp; уздизања. Сви ови облици требало би да на адекватан начин буду&nbsp; укључени&nbsp; у креирање&nbsp;и&nbsp; развој&nbsp; културног&nbsp; туризма&nbsp; и&nbsp; да,&nbsp; као&nbsp; такви,&nbsp; постану&nbsp; стална&nbsp; понуда&nbsp; у&nbsp; осталим &nbsp;облицима&nbsp;туристичких кретања, као што су&nbsp; спортско-рекреативни, екскурзиони, излетнички туризам и сл.&nbsp;</p><p>Културно-историјско&nbsp; наслеђе&nbsp; није&nbsp; адекватно&nbsp; заштићено,&nbsp; недовољно&nbsp; је&nbsp; презентовано,&nbsp;интерпретирано&nbsp; и&nbsp; промовисано,&nbsp; тако&nbsp; да&nbsp; није&nbsp; адекватно&nbsp; укључено&nbsp; у&nbsp;&nbsp; туристичку&nbsp;&nbsp; понуду.&nbsp; Међутим,&nbsp;оно&nbsp; што&nbsp; поседујемо&nbsp; је&nbsp; богато&nbsp; нематеријално&nbsp; наслеђе.&nbsp; Туристима&nbsp; треба&nbsp; понудити&nbsp; нематеријалне&nbsp;културне&nbsp; ресурсе&nbsp; што&nbsp; је&nbsp; основ&nbsp; туристичког&nbsp; доживљаја&ndash;&nbsp; уживање&nbsp; у&nbsp;&nbsp; културној&nbsp; интеракцији,&nbsp;упознавање&nbsp; другачије&nbsp; културе&nbsp; и&nbsp; културног&nbsp; идентитета.&nbsp; Акценат&nbsp; треба&nbsp; ставити&nbsp; на&nbsp; старе&nbsp; занате,&nbsp;машине,&nbsp; рурална&nbsp; домаћинства,&nbsp; разне&nbsp; манифестације(сајмове ,&nbsp; вашаре,&nbsp; изложбе).&nbsp; Ово&nbsp; може&nbsp; бити&nbsp;значајна конкурентска предност&nbsp; у&nbsp; региону.</p><p>У&nbsp; комбинацији&nbsp; са&nbsp; природним&nbsp; ресурсима&nbsp; као&nbsp; главним&nbsp; мотивима&nbsp; туристичких&nbsp; кретања&nbsp; у&nbsp;Западној&nbsp; Србији,&nbsp; културни&nbsp; туризам&nbsp; би&nbsp; могао&nbsp; постати&nbsp; значајан&nbsp; фактор&nbsp; унапређења&nbsp; туризма&nbsp;уопште и издвојити се као самостални вид туристичких кретања. С обзиром на тренутно стање, тај&nbsp;моменат ће сачекати неке наредне генерације.&nbsp;</p> / <p>Zapadna&nbsp; Srbija&nbsp; u&nbsp;&nbsp; sebi&nbsp; objedinjuje&nbsp; tri&nbsp; okruga&nbsp; sa24&nbsp; opštine&nbsp;&nbsp; u&nbsp; Republici&nbsp; Srbiji&nbsp; i&nbsp;smeštena&nbsp; je&nbsp; u&nbsp;&nbsp; njenom&nbsp; zapadnom&nbsp; delu.&nbsp; Prostire&nbsp; se&nbsp; na&nbsp; površini&nbsp; od11.882 km&sup2;&nbsp; što&nbsp; predstavlja&nbsp;13,45%&nbsp; teritorije&nbsp; Republike.&nbsp; Tranzitnost&nbsp; položaja&nbsp; je,&nbsp; kroz&nbsp; istoriju,&nbsp; uslovio&nbsp; bogato&nbsp; kulturno-istorijsko nasleđe.&nbsp;</p><p>Zapadna&nbsp; Srbija&nbsp; se&nbsp; u&nbsp; ovom&nbsp; istraživanju&nbsp;&nbsp; našla&nbsp; kao&nbsp; raskrsnica&nbsp; različitih&nbsp; ideologija,&nbsp;kultura,&nbsp; mentaliteta,&nbsp; vera,&nbsp; te&nbsp;&nbsp; bogatog&nbsp; materijalnog&nbsp; i&nbsp; duhovnog&nbsp; nasleđa&nbsp; prožetog&nbsp; izuzetnim&nbsp;prirodnim&nbsp; vrednostima.&nbsp; Temeljnom&nbsp; valorizacijom&nbsp; njenih&nbsp; potencijala,&nbsp; mogla&nbsp; bi&nbsp; postati&nbsp;okosnica razvoja turizma, kako&nbsp; u&nbsp; administrativnim granicama, tako i&nbsp; u&nbsp; širem regionu.&nbsp;</p><p>Obiluje&nbsp; spomenicima&nbsp; kulture&nbsp; gde&nbsp; su&nbsp;&nbsp; zastupljeni&nbsp; najrazličitiji&nbsp; oblici,&nbsp; od&nbsp; arheoloških&nbsp;nalazišta,&nbsp; preko&nbsp; dela&nbsp; sa&nbsp; spomeničkim&nbsp; i&nbsp; umetničkim&nbsp; svojstvima,&nbsp; do&nbsp; savremenih&nbsp; oblika&nbsp;kulturnog&nbsp; uzdizanja. Svi ovi oblici trebalo bi da na adekvatan način budu&nbsp; uključeni&nbsp; u kreiranje&nbsp;i&nbsp; razvoj&nbsp; kulturnog&nbsp; turizma&nbsp; i&nbsp; da,&nbsp; kao&nbsp; takvi,&nbsp; postanu&nbsp; stalna&nbsp; ponuda&nbsp; u&nbsp; ostalim &nbsp;oblicima&nbsp;turističkih kretanja, kao što su&nbsp; sportsko-rekreativni, ekskurzioni, izletnički turizam i sl.&nbsp;</p><p>Kulturno-istorijsko&nbsp; nasleđe&nbsp; nije&nbsp; adekvatno&nbsp; zaštićeno,&nbsp; nedovoljno&nbsp; je&nbsp; prezentovano,&nbsp;interpretirano&nbsp; i&nbsp; promovisano,&nbsp; tako&nbsp; da&nbsp; nije&nbsp; adekvatno&nbsp; uključeno&nbsp; u&nbsp;&nbsp; turističku&nbsp;&nbsp; ponudu.&nbsp; Međutim,&nbsp;ono&nbsp; što&nbsp; posedujemo&nbsp; je&nbsp; bogato&nbsp; nematerijalno&nbsp; nasleđe.&nbsp; Turistima&nbsp; treba&nbsp; ponuditi&nbsp; nematerijalne&nbsp;kulturne&nbsp; resurse&nbsp; što&nbsp; je&nbsp; osnov&nbsp; turističkog&nbsp; doživljaja&ndash;&nbsp; uživanje&nbsp; u&nbsp;&nbsp; kulturnoj&nbsp; interakciji,&nbsp;upoznavanje&nbsp; drugačije&nbsp; kulture&nbsp; i&nbsp; kulturnog&nbsp; identiteta.&nbsp; Akcenat&nbsp; treba&nbsp; staviti&nbsp; na&nbsp; stare&nbsp; zanate,&nbsp;mašine,&nbsp; ruralna&nbsp; domaćinstva,&nbsp; razne&nbsp; manifestacije(sajmove ,&nbsp; vašare,&nbsp; izložbe).&nbsp; Ovo&nbsp; može&nbsp; biti&nbsp;značajna konkurentska prednost&nbsp; u&nbsp; regionu.</p><p>U&nbsp; kombinaciji&nbsp; sa&nbsp; prirodnim&nbsp; resursima&nbsp; kao&nbsp; glavnim&nbsp; motivima&nbsp; turističkih&nbsp; kretanja&nbsp; u&nbsp;Zapadnoj&nbsp; Srbiji,&nbsp; kulturni&nbsp; turizam&nbsp; bi&nbsp; mogao&nbsp; postati&nbsp; značajan&nbsp; faktor&nbsp; unapređenja&nbsp; turizma&nbsp;uopšte i izdvojiti se kao samostalni vid turističkih kretanja. S obzirom na trenutno stanje, taj&nbsp;momenat će sačekati neke naredne generacije.&nbsp;</p> / <p>Western Serbia unites the three districts with 24 municipalities. It covers an area of&nbsp;11,882 km&sup2; (13.45% of the territory of the Republicof Serbia). Its position ensured intensive&nbsp;transit which resulted in rich cultural and historical heritage.&nbsp;</p><p>In this study, Western Serbia is presented as a crossroad of different ideologies, cultures,&nbsp;mentalities, religions, and rich material and spiritual heritage permeated with outstanding natural&nbsp;values. Thorough evaluation of its potential, it could become the driver of tourism development,&nbsp;both within its administrational borders and in wider region.</p><p>Cultural sites are various &ndash; from archeological sites, historical and sacral monuments, to&nbsp;modern forms of culture. All these sites should be&nbsp; adequately included in creating and&nbsp;developing cultural tourism and it should become permanent &nbsp;offer in other forms of cultural&nbsp;movement, such as sports and recreation, excursions, site seeing tourism etc.</p><p>Cultural and historical heritage in Western Serbia is not adequately protected, not enough&nbsp;interpreted and promoted, so it is not an integral&nbsp; part of the tourist industry. However, we have&nbsp;rich immaterial heritage. Tourism sector of this region should offer immaterial cultural resources&nbsp;as a basis of the tourist experience - enjoying in&nbsp; cultural interaction, learning about different&nbsp;cultures and cultural identity. Emphasis should be&nbsp; placed on the old crafts, industrial heritage,&nbsp;rural households, various events (trade shows, fairs, exhibitions). This could be a significant&nbsp;competitive advantage in the region.&nbsp;</p><p>In combination with the natural resources as the main motive of tourist movement in&nbsp;western Serbia, cultural tourism can become an important factor for increasing tourism in&nbsp;general, and distinguish itself as an independent type of tourist movements. Considering current&nbsp;conditions, this will be a challenge for the next generations.</p>