SOCIETY FOR THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF EUROPE

sae retrospective

EXCERPTS FROM “PROVOCATIONS OF EUROPEAN ANTHROPOLOGY” (1997)
“It is safe to say that European studies is in a state of considerable disarray. No one is quite sure even where the boundaries of Europe now lie; recent developments within and among the European Union, the old East Bloc, and the former Soviet Union have all shaken to the core well-established paradigms and the confidence of experts in their ability even to understand current situations, much less to predict even short-term likelihoods. This situation seems to have opened a window of opportunity for anthropological perspectives. For some Europeanists, anthropology seems newly relevant insofar as “culture” and related forms of irrationality offer a last resort or black-box explanation for developments that otherwise make no sense. Certainly, the unsettling of Europe has rendered many of the terms by which it has been defined more visible and open to contest and, therefore, both more accessible to anthropological scrutiny and analysis and more obviously interesting to anthropological theory. Anthropological inquiry could well play an important role in redefining what we know about Europe.” Susan Carol Rogers, p. 719

In Asad et al. (1997) “Provocations of European Anthropology” American Anthropologist 99(4):713-730

“I argue that, for anthropologists, it is important to understand Europe for an least three reasons. First, the West is where anthropology as an academic discipline developed and where it continues to have its main focus. Second, anthropologists typically study developing societies, that is, the beliefs and practices of non-European peoplse, that have been varyingly affected by global capitalism. Finally, modernity is commonly spoken of as the historical destiny or the political aim of what are called developing peoples, and modern concepts have long begun to articulate important aspects of their lives, whereas it has hitherto been as partial equivalents of Europe that such terms as modernity, liberal-democratic culture, advanced/late capitalism, the developed nations, and civilization were understood.” Talal Asad p.719

In Asad et al. (1997) “Provocations of European Anthropology” American Anthropologist 99(4):713-730

sae archives

Do you have old issues of the SAE Bulletin?

If You could provide PDF copies for the archives, please contact SAE President (2010-12) Deborah Reed-Danahay at der5@buffalo.edu.

Here is the first installment, in anticipation of our 25th anniversary -- the 10th anniversary issue. It was our first retrospective.

Robert Hayden has scanned and offered the complete run of the Newsletter of the EAST EUROPEAN ANTHROPOLOGY GROUP, from Volume 1 number 1 (Fall 1981) to Volume 7 Number 2 (Spring 1988):