Echo of 1989? Protest Imaginaries and Identity Dilemmas in Belarus

The revolution of 2020 in Belarus has often been described as a new 1989 and there is no doubt that the emancipatory appeal Belarusian protests similar to one sustained revolutions. But will building democratic system—the major aspiration protesters—follow scripts liberalization westernization evidence other eastern central European countries? Will self-determination post-Lukashenka follow scenario modelled on patterns adopted by east post-Soviet states, where ethnocentric national identities memory victims communism became distinctive markers post-communism? Examining symbolic dimension protest repertoire, this article demonstrates how re-arranged system historical cultural references shaped foundation collective identity discourses since 1994. It reveals broad variety actors engaged contention activated process re-signification political symbols ideas led formation blended socio-cultural imaginary, which integrates previously disconnected competing projects ideologies.