ABOUT ME
Simona PREDA
Bucharest, Romania
E-mail: simona.preda@yahoo.com
CURRENT POSITIONS:
- Lecturer, Faculty of History, Department of Romanian and Southeast European History, University of Bucharest.
- Brand Manager, Corinth Publishing House, Bucharest.
- Member of the Romanian Writers’ Union.
EDUCATION:
- PhD, History, Faculty of History – University of Bucharest (2011).
- MA, History of Ideas and Mentalities – University of Bucharest, (2006).
- Bachelor of Arts, Faculty of History – University of Bucharest, (2007).
- Bachelor of Arts, Faculty of Philosophy – University of Bucharest, (2002).
PUBLICATIONS:
Books:
The Institutionalization of Indoctrination: An Exploratory Investigation Based on the Romanian Case Study (co-author, with Dragos Paul Aligica), Lexington Books- Rowman &Littlefield, 2022.
Everlasting Romania. Simona Preda in Dialogue with Acad. Georgeta Filitti, [Romania de totdeauna. Simona Preda în dialog cu Acad. Georgeta Filitti], CorinthPublishing House, Bucharest, 2022.
The Blue Cabinet, [Cabinetul albastru],Litera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2021
“Book of the Year 2021 Award for Prose” – Romanian Writers’ Union, Bucharest.
Queen Mother Elena, [Regina-Mamă Elena],Corinth Publishing, Bucharest, 2018.
Images, Dreams, Follies, [Imagini, vise, bazaconii], (co-author, with Cristian Pepino), UNATC PRESS, Bucharest, 2018.
Romanian Homeland, Country of Heroes, [Patrie română, țară de eroi], Curtea Veche Publishing, Bucharest, 2014.
Edited Volumes:
Isolation through their Eyes. Parents and Children in Pandemic, [Izolarea prin ochii lor Părinți și copii în pandemie], Vremea Publishing House, 2020.
All the Way Forward! [Tot înainte!],(co-author, with Valeriu Antonovici), Curtea Veche Publishing, 2016.
Book Chapters in:
” When does a Woman get Old?” [” Când îmbătrânește o femeie?”]in Feminine Literature, [Literatura la feminine], (coord. Adina Dinitoiu, Anastasia Staicu), Seneca Publishing House, 2021.
” The Dragon-fly”[”Libelula”]in The Most Beautiful Miracles, [Cele mai frumoase miracole], (coord. Alice Nastase Buciuta), Tango Books Publishing House, 2021.
” Normalcy of the Uncommon” [”Firescul nefirescului]inPan- Demon – 2020 and Covid – 19, [Pan – Demon 2020 și Covid – 19], Sedcom Libris Publishing House, 2020.
“The Great Union. The First Hundred Years”, [Marea Unire. Prima sută de ani], (coord. Cristian Pătrăşconiu), Western University Publishing House, 2020.
“30 Years After”,[După 30 de ani], (coord. Cristian Pătrăşconiu), Western University Publishing House, 2020.
“I Discovered a Whole World – Close up to Queen Mother Hellen” [“Am descoperit o lume intreaga cu ea – aproape de Regina Mama Elena”] in His Majesty’s World. The Jubilee of the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, [Lumea Majestății Sale. Jubileul Custodelui Coroanei Române], (coord. Alexandru Muraru, Daniel Şandru), Corinth Publishing House, 2019.
”The Pen of the Bovaric” [”Condeiul nucleelor bovarice”] in How Men Read Women’s Books, [Cum citesc bărbații cărțile femeilor], (coord. Șerban Axinte, Lia Faur), Polirom Publishing House, 2017.
” Sitta – The Queen Mother Hellen of Romania” [“Sitta – Regina Mamă a României”] in The Royal Year. The Journal of Jubilee of the 150th anniversary of the Founding of the Royal House of Romania, [Anul regal. Jurnalul Jubileului la 150 de ani de la fondarea Casei Regale a României], (coord. Daniel Şandru, Alexandru Muraru), Adenium Publishing House, 2016.
” Alternatives. Highlights from the Dissident Art of the Last Two Communist Decades” [“Alternative. Repere din arta disidentă a ultimelor două decenii comuniste”] in Marginalities, Peripheries, and Symbolic Frontiers, [Marginalitati, perfierii si frontier simbolice], (coord. Stefan Bosomitu, Luciana M. Jinga), IICCMER, vol. IX, Polirom Publishing House, 2015.
Academic Articles:
“The Ideological Commisar in the Education System” [“Ideologul din învățământul preuniversitar”], in The Journal of the Romanian Academy, Year 5, No.1, January – June 2020.
“Queen Mother Elena”, [“Regina-Mamă Elena”], in Astra Review, Brașov, No. 1-4/2019.
„School Textbooks during Communism”, [“Manualele școlare din timpul comunismului”],in Dâmboviţa County Museum Magazine, No. 4, October 2018.
“The Red Tie Magazine”, [“Revista Cravata Rosie”], in The Journal of the Romanian Academy, Year 2, No.1, January – June 2017.
“The Leader’s Model. Stalin in the Children’s Press”,[“Modelul liderului. Stalin în presa pentru copii”], in Dacia Literară Review, Year XXVI, No.4 (139), winter 2015.
“Do You Remember Vanea, the Great Russian?… Romanian-Russian Friendship in Children’s Literature”, [“Ți-l amintești pe Vanea, pe rusu-acela mare?… Prietenia româno-rusă în literatura pentru copii”], in Dacia Literară Review, Year XXVI, No.2 (137), Summer 2015.
“Keep Going! Slogans in the Communist Press for Children -1948-1989″ [“Tot înainte! Sloganuri și lozinci în presa presa comunistă pentru copii -1948-1989”], in The Journal of National Archives, July 2015.
“Through the Literature of the 50s. The Model of the Hero Child”,[“Prin literatura anilor 50. Modelul copilului erou”], in Dacia Literară Review, Year XXVI, No.3 (138), autumn 2015.
“Pavel Morozov. Pioneer 001″, [“Pavel Morozov. Pionierul 001”],in Argesis, Studies and Communications, Argeş County Museum, History series, XIX/2010.
“Survivals of Communist-Type Nationalist Discourse in Postdecembrist Romanian Historiography – 1990-2005″,[“Remanențe ale discursului naționalist de tip comunist în istoriografia românească postdecembristă – 1990-2005”], in Argesis, Studies and Communications, Argeş County Museum, History series, XVI/2007.
Prefaces (selection):
Preface to Jean Des Cars, In the Heart of Royalty, [În inima regalității], Corinth Publishing House, 2023.
Preface to Jean Des Cars, Charles, Camilla, and Diana, [Charles, Camilla și Diana], Corinth
Publishing House, 2022.
Preface to Christopher Hibbert, The Borgias, [Borgia], Corinth Publishing House, 2021.
Preface to Paul Gabor, The Inner Mediterranean, [Mediterana din mine], Ratio et Revelatio
Publishing House, 2021.
Preface to Laurențiu-Ciprian Tudor, Book with Writers, [Carte cu scriitori], Creator Publishing House, 2020.
Preface to Ciprian Apetrei, The One at the Window, [Cel de la fereastră], Eikon Publishing
House, 2020.
Preface to Michael Farquhar, Royal Scandals. Shocking Stories about Kings, Queens,
Tsars, Popes, and Emperors, [Scandaluri regale. Povești socante despre regi, regine, țari, papi și împărați], Corinth Publishing House, 2019.
Preface to Alina Gherasim, Quiet, the Sunset Begins, [Liniște, începe asfințitul], Oscar Print
Publishing House, 2019.
Preface to Corina Ozon, Beyond the Storm, [Dincolo de furtună], Herg Benet Publishing
House, 2019.
Exhibition Catalogues:
Cristian Gache, Nameless Stories, [Povești fără nume], Catalog Text, Photography Exhibition, 12-30 January 2019, Brancovenesc Palace in Mogoşoaia.
Cristian Pepino, The Man Who Pulls the Strings, [Omul care trage sforile], Catalog Text, Drawing Exhibition, 18-27 0ctombrie 2019, Rotenberg-Uzunov Art Gallery.
Screenwriter, History Documentaries:
“Queen Mother Elena” [“Regina-Mamă Elena”]– documentary film about the queen’s personality, in collaboration with producer Razvan Butaru, Romanian National Television, TVR1 and the National Archives of Romania, 2018.
“All the Way” – Communist Propaganda for Children” [”Tot înainte – Propaganda comunistă pentru copii”] – Documentary film in collaboration with Valeriu Antonovici (Center for Memorial Studies and Identity), 2016.
Journalism and Non-Academic Writings Published in:
Romania literară, Orizont, Ramuri, Dilema, Timpul, Dacia literară,
LaPunkt, Marginalia, Cronica Veche, Literatura de azi,
Accente, SemndinCarte, Lettres Capitales, PressHub.
SELECTED CONFERENCES AND PUBLIC LECTURES:
“Queen Marie of Romania” – Conference at Calea Victoriei Foundation, July 18, 2023.
“Queen Marie’s Jewelry” – Conference at Artmark Auction House, February 21, 2023.
” The Political-Ideological Commissar in Communist Higher Education Systems” –The Sighet National Memorial, July 22-25, 2021.
” Children’s Propaganda” – The Sighet National Memorial, August 4, 2020.
“Prison Diaries – Testimonies of Women in Detention” – Women Conference, Rights and Society, organized by Fatma Yilmaz, March 2019.
“Queen Mother Elena – the Story of a Queen” – Conference at the Youth Theatre in Piatra-Neamţ, February 9, 2019.
“Queen Mother Elena” – Athenaeum in Iasi, November 28, 2018.
“Treasures from the National Archives” – History collection with coat of arms, amphitheatre Georgeta Filitti, November 21, 2018, National Archives of Romania.
“Elena – Marriage and Separation from Charles II” – at the Lemet Conferences, Geo Bogza House of Culture in Câmpina, November 2, 2018.
“Sitta, the Story of a Royal Divorce” – Debate within the Stories of Bucharest, The Little Paris Museum, April 23, 2018.
“Romanian Communism in the Press”- Debate at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Bucharest, May 21, 2015.
“Children’s Propaganda and the Generation with the House Key Hanged to Necks” – Conference at the National Archives of Romania under the „Interference” program, Bucharest, June 25, 2015.
“Children’s Propaganda. Case Study of The Cutezătorii Magazine” – Debate at SNSPA within the Student Circle Memorie and History, Bucharest, November 18, 2015.
“Authors of the ACTUAL Curtea Veche Publishing Collection at FJSC Evenings – Debate at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Bucharest, April 1, 2015.
“Golden Age Propaganda Literature” – Debate in Meetings with writers from Tudor Vladimirescu High School, Bucharest, November 26, 2015.
“Old Romanian Capitals Between the East and the West” – Annual Scientific Communications Session, Curtea Domnească National Museum Complex, Târgovişte, 23-24 May 2014.
“Brâncoveanu 300. The Image of Constantin Brâncoveanu on the Romanian Modernity Horizon” – Conference at University of Bucharest, Faculty of History, September 18-19, 2014.
LANGUAGES: English, French.