In the 1940s, the German word »Kitsch« became an international concept, whose meaning oscillates between anti-ideological rejection and post-modern affirmation. But does this term mean the same thing across different national traditions of discourse? Why are certain artistically or ordinarily aesthetic products from other cultures called Kitsch, and what about this »nationalization« of Kitsch? Through examples from the studies of music, literature, arts, and film, the contributions to this volume investigate the polarities and paradoxes to which the concept of Kitsch is subjected in different cultures and nations.
