Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026): Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies
Editorial
Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies continues its longstanding tradition and commitment to academic excellence by presenting erudite perspectives on current themes concerning the Romanian culture and its universal development. The present issue includes the following sections: Literature, Cultural Studies, Theatre, Translation Studies, Anthropology, History, Book Reviews and Restitutio. Framing a multicultural and multilingual collection of studies, the articles are an open invitation to a worldwide readership.
The first and widest section of this issue, Literature, proposes eleven studies, each focusing on works that embody resonant literary voices for Romanian cultural identity. Inés Carvajal Argüelles, an independent researcher from Spain, analyses Mircea Eliade’s reconstruction of his hometown, Bucharest, in the novel Noaptea de Sânziene [The Forbidden Forest], explaining the relevance of senses in his work. Dana Radler, from Bucharest University of Economic Studies, presents a new insight into Panait Istrati’s biographical and literary life as preserved in the Sigourantza archives. Ioan Fărmuș, from Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, compares the Romanian version of Vasile Alecsandri’s short story 24 de ceasuri la Balta-Albă [24 Hours in Balta-Albă] and its French version, titled Le lac Blanc. He outlines the structural modifications Vasile Alecsandri made to the translation and their role in the communication process between the two cultures. Maria-Corina Dumitru, from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, frames an annotation model of emotions and sentiments in 19th-century Romanian popular novels, applying it to three sentimental novels by Nicolae G. Rădulescu-Niger. Irina-Teodora Gorgan, from Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, reconsiders Ury Benador’s novel, Ghetto veac XX [Ghetto 20th-Century], and its documentary relevance for illustrating the Romanian interwar antisemitism. Lucia Ispas, from Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiești, explores the symbolism of the island in the dramatic works of Mihail Sebastian. Sînziana-Maria Stoie, from The Interdisciplinary School of Doctoral Studies, Transilvania University of Brașov, delves into the American poetry of the 1930s and the works of the Romanian war poets by applying Justin Parks’ theory of an “epistemological crisis” of “late modernism”. Daniela Petroșel, from Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, proposes a reinterpretation of Sergiu Fărcășan’s novels, Atacul cesiumiștilor (1963) [The Attack of the Cesiumists], Vă caută un Taur (1970) [A Bull Is Searching for You], and his short story collection Mașina de rupt prieteniile (1968) [The Friendship-Breaking Machine], by revealing the ambiguity of the science-fiction scenarios. Mădălina Ceciuleac, from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, frames a comparative analysis of the political imaginary in Eugène Ionesco’s Rinocerii [Rhinoceros] and the (political) figures of crocodiles in Matei Vișniec’s Consulatul lunii sau Adelina și crocodilii de mlaștină [The Moon’s Consulate or Adelina and the Swamp Crocodiles]. Elena Purușniuc and Ștefan-Tudor Baciu, from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, examine the convergences and divergences in the portrayal of the antihero in Mikhail Bulgakov’s Maestrul și Margarita [The Master and Margarita] and Matei Vișniec’s Sindromul de panică în Orașul Luminilor [The Panic Syndrome in the City of Lights]. They focus on the significance of intertextual relationships and explore the semantic dimensions of both texts beyond their structural similarities. Andreea-Raluca Abiculesei, from Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, closes the section with an analysis of the relationship between text and metatext in Ion Vianu’s work. She argues that, for Ion Vianu, literature has ethical and aesthetic purposes.
The following sections engage with issues across the fields of Culture, Theatre, Translation Studies, Anthropology and History. Raluca-Denisa Nicoară, from 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, approaches the concept of myth through an interdisciplinary and transversal conceptual framework. She integrates perspectives from the philosophy of culture, anthropology, structural semiotics, and mythology. Abdellah Zine El Abidine, from Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco, examines the dramaturgical strategies employed by Matei Vișniec in his dramatic works, showing how the author transforms the stage into a space of resistance against oblivion and indifference by appealing to the spectator's responsibility. Gabriela Chiciudean, from 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, analyses the topology of the attic in the dramaturgy of Henrik Ibsen, Frank Wedekind, and Mihail Sebastian by revealing it as a symbol of escapism and a therapy for the soul. Continuing with Translation Studies, Daniel Dejica, from Politehnica University Timisoara, addresses the mismatch between the communicative centrality of scientific discourse and its marginal presence in doctoral‑level inquiry. He proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework operationalised through ten research scenarios designed to advance empirical, genre‑informed and technologically aware investigations into scientific translation. Raluca-Andreea Petruș and Ana Gvozdenovici, from West University of Timișoara, investigate how collective identity, culturally specific features, emotion, and ideological aspects, based on race and gender, are preserved or not in the translation of the contemporary Japanese American writer Julie Otsuka’s novel, The Buddha in the Attic [Buddha din podul casei]. Gabriela Bodea, from Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, shifts the focus to positive economic and social change by reflecting on how transculturalism and interculturalism could formulate a compass for the modern world. Ela Cosma, from the Romanian Academy, George Barițiu Institute of History in Cluj-Napoca, turns the attention to the main events of the historical process unfolding during the Greek Revolution and the War of Liberation (1821–1829), presenting the forerunners and artisans of the Greek Revolution of 1821 and the studies published in the periodical Ελπίς/Speranța by Apostolos Patelakis. Lastly, Attila Varga, from the Romanian Academy, George Barițiu Institute of History in Cluj-Napoca, highlights the importance of Puiu Ioan Hojda’s reflections and explorations of the intellectual history that led to the formation of radical European racism.
The last two sections, Book Reviews and Restitutio, close the issue with four compelling perspectives. Mădălina Elena Mandici, from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, describes Alexandra-Maria Vrînceanu’s Feminist Ideology and Translated Literature, published in 2024. Maria-Crina Herțeg, from 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, delves into Andra Ursa’s book titled Aspects of James Joyce’s writing style translations into Romanian: An analysis regarding the evolution of James Joyce’s writing style in Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses, published in 2025. Alina Bako, from Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, presents Marius Turda’s 2024 book, În căutarea românului perfect: Specific național, degenerare rasială și selecție socială în România modernă [In search of the perfect Romanian: National specificity, racial degeneration, and social selection in modern Romania], as a landmark and indispensable synthesis in the field of Romanian cultural and intellectual history studies. Finally, Lucian Vasile Bâgiu, from 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, presents a study file with the activity of the doctoral supervisor, Prof. Constantin Cubleșan, within the Doctoral School of Philology of IOSUD-Alba Iulia during the period 17.04.2008-24.03.2017.
We express our deepest gratitude and respect to the authors, reviewers, and members of the scientific advisory board, whose professional perspectives help preserve the journal's worldwide recognition. We are privileged to collaborate with forty-seven external peer reviewers, members of the Reviewer Board for this issue, and representatives from twenty-three universities, research centres, institutes, and libraries of the Romanian Academy and honoured by the collaboration between five academics tenured at Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, four academics tenured at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, six members of Speculum Centre for the Research of the Imaginary, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, and four other academics tenured at 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia. We extend our gratitude to our permanent members of the scientific community from Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Sweden, and Romania. Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies is published in collaboration with Lund University, Sweden; Granada University, Spain; 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania; the Romanian Language Institute, Bucharest; and the Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania, and welcomes contributions from scholars worldwide.
Bianca-Maria Bucur
Reviewer Board for this issue
Simona Antofi, Dunărea de Jos University of Galați, Romania
Adina Botaș, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania
Diana Câmpan, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania
Laura Mariana Cismaș, West University of Timișoara, Romania
Roxana Maria Crețu, West University of Timișoara, Romania
Marius-Mircea Crișan, West University of Timișoara, Romania
Mircea A. Diaconu, Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania
Carmen Dominte, National University of Music, Bucharest, Romania
Carmen Duțu, Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, Bucharest, Romania
Cristina Gherman, Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania
Oana-Andreea Ghiță-Pîrnuță, Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania
Daniela Hăisan, Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania
Rodica Ilie, Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania
Gabriela Iliuță, Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania
Alina Nicoleta Ionescu, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Romania
Crina Leon, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
Gheorghe Manolache, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania
Alina Gabriela Mihalache, University of Bucharest, Romania
Silviu Mihăilă, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Mihaela Mudure, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marius Mureșan, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marius Nica, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiești, Romania
Valentin Orga, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Antonio Patraș, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
Ana Magdaleana Petraru, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
Cecilia Policsek, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Nicoleta Popa Blănariu, Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău, Romania
Cristina Ileana Rogojină, Ovidius University of Constanța, Romania
Marcela Sălăgean, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Valeriu Stancu, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
Anca Tatay, Library of Romanian Academy, Cluj-Napoca Branch, Romania
Coralia Telea, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania
Sorina Victoria, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania
Ioana Raluca Vișan, Ovidius University of Constanța, Romania
Laurențiu Vlad, University of Bucharest, Romania
Laura Zăvăleanu, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The editorial activities undertaken by Associate Editor Lucian Vasile Bâgiu for this issue included two visits to Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Philology, Institute of Romance Studies, Krakow, Poland which were funded through the Erasmus + program.
The Editorial Board of Swedish Journal of Romanian Studies used the anti-plagiarism software https://sistemantiplagiat.ro/ provided by 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania, to check the research integrity of all submitted manuscripts.
