National identity for the nineteenth century is traditionally understood in a monolithic and monocultural manner, but the formation of Slovenian identity due to the threat of Germanization took place in parallel with the formation of pan-Slavic consciousness, especially with the emergence of Russophile ideas. An analysis of archival material and literature shows the distinctly intercultural nature of the nineteenth-century Slovenian liberal intelligentsia and its two-tiered attitude toward the consolidation of ethnic identity. This article focuses on the lesser-known circle of female promoters of ethnic identity at the Slovenian newspaper Slovenka, especially Marica Strnad, and their ambivalent attitude toward patriotism, the national movement, and intercultural integration.
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