Anthropology's multiple temporalities and its future in Central and Eastern Europe: a debate

In: Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology working papers 90

Abstract

Hann's essay takes a parochial academic anniversary in Britain as an occasion to reflect on ensuing changes of paradigm in social anthropology, notably the rejection of evolutionism and the neglect of history that accompanied the 'fieldwork revolution' led by Bronisław Malinowski. In the light of this discussion it is argued that the 'anthropology of postsocialism' of recent years should not content itself with ethnographic studies of transformation but would benefit from engaging more seriously with multiple layers of history as well as with adjacent social sciences. It is further argued that social and cultural anthropologists should form a common scholarly community with the 'national ethnographers', since these two styles of enquiry complement each other; but such integrated communities remain rare, in Britain no less than in Central and Eastern Europe. These propositions are discussed from a variety of standpoints by ten colleagues. Finally, Hann responds to their comments and criticisms and restates his position on the central intellectual and institutional issues.