Negotiating the State: Sociability of Old and New Networks in Post-Imperial Realities

Abstract

This study examines the integration strategies, political engagement, and patterns of sociability of the Transylvanian Saxons in the early twentieth century, a pivotal period marked by the transition from imperial to post-imperial structures. Focusing on Sibiu,Braşov and Mediaş – urban centers central to Saxon political and social life – the research adopts an interdisciplinary framework that brings together minority and urban history and cultural anthropology. Methodologically, it draws on a wide array of archival documents, German- and Romanian-language newspapers, memoirs, and visual materials from both local and international repositories, which are analyzed using specialized qualitative and contextual tools. A core objective of the study is to investigate the evolution of political engagement models within a transnational context, particularly as the Saxons reconfigured their imperial loyalty following the incorporation of Transylvania into Greater Romania. The analysis addresses the dual dynamics of shifting loyalties and the forms of political sociability through which Saxon elites negotiated their position with the ruling authorities in Bucharest. Interpreted through the lens of localism and “ national indifference ,” the research highlights the interplay between urban space and the social and political events that facilitated the renegotiation of post-imperial loyalties. By tracing these processes, the study aims to elucidate how the Transylvanian Saxon community navigated the constraints and opportunities of their new political milieu and articulated strategies of adaptation within the framework of Greater Romania.