„Wileńskie topografie”: między peryferyjnością a modernizacją

Abstract

This article examines the representation of interwar Vilnius in Valentina Krupovies’ book Topografie wileńskie. Obraz międzywojennego Wilna w perspektywie peryferyjnej nowoczesności [Vilnius Topographies: An Image of Interwar Vilnius from the Perspective of Peripheral Modernity] (Siedlce, 2025). Focusing on the concept of peripheral modernity, it explores the theoretical premises of this approach and evaluates its application to the study of urban space. The article assesses the explanatory potential of the concept and highlights the new interpretative possibilities it offers for describing and analysing the spatial experience of interwar Vilnius. Particular attention is paid to the tensions between peripherality and modernisation, which emerge as key factors shaping the city’s identity and representation.