Medúza
Founded MMXXV.
2025/II.
Editorial Foreword to the Second Edition
The reader is holding the second edition of the Polip Association’s journal, christened Medúza. Following the theoretical, largely foundational, and inaugurative tone of the first edition, this second issue features concrete analyses covering the core questions of political theory, the broader implications of current political events, specific conceptions of political cultures, the relationship between democracy and ethics, and the dynamics of gaining power and manufacturing majorities. A significant portion of these articles was produced within the framework of seminar work, tied together by the intersecting concepts of discursivity, political knowledge, politics, language, and power. Thus, the leitmotif of this collection of essays is the interconnected system of power, language, politics, and ethics. Bence Ávár, an International Studies undergraduate student, discusses the rhetoric, speech styles, memory politics, and historical narratives of Viktor Orbán and Péter Magyar—focusing on the years 1956, 1989, and 2025 through an interdisciplinary methodology inspired by Michel Foucault and Jacques Rancière. The article has since gained considerable contemporary relevance (the texts in this current edition are all dated from 2025). Dániel Sárközi, also an International Studies undergraduate, analyzes the memory politics and geopolitical mindset of Russia under Vladimir Putin in his text titled “Imperial Deficit and Sacred Duty,” utilizing linguistic and intellectual history sources within a discursive framework. Artúr Fekete, a master’s student in Political Science, analyzes the parallels between Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s social policy and the Democratic Party’s new majority-building and social strategy using a discursive framework of hegemony theory developed by Ernesto Laclau, while also covering specific policy details of the New Deal and their political framing. Finally, András Kirschner, a Political Science undergraduate student, presents a bold proposal—not lacking in idealism yet backed by convincing detail—to address the crisis of contemporary liberal democracies, a solution the author terms ethical democracy. When Medúza was founded, the editorial board and the broader community envisioned an organ that would serve as a forum for creative, talented young researchers and professionals stretching their wings. We note with pride that the intellectual depth and quality of this second issue—written entirely by university students—has validated and, to some extent, even exceeded our expectations. We can confidently state that anyone who brings this publication up on their screen in online format will find thought-provoking, creative, sometimes provocative, but invariably high-quality and promising articles, alongside thoughts that invite debate. The editorial board of Medúza expresses its gratitude to the contributors and encourages these young researchers toward further successful work.
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