Cultural Anthropology of Post-Socialism Ethnographic Accounts and Anthropological Theories in and of East-Central Europe Autumn 2010 Masaryk University, Brno This course gives an overview of the major themes and paradigms in the cultural anthropological research of late-state-socialist and post-socialist societies. Thus, it explores both the palette of various fields that have been seen specific to the East-Central European region, as well as the important shifts of attention from one topic to another over the course of the past three decades. Although there will be references to state-socialist experiences on other continents, the main cultural-historical focus will remain on the European satellite states of the former Soviet Union. The format of the course is a combination of lectures and thorough seminar discussions of the assigned readings. Students are encouraged to conduct a brief ethnographic research on cultural practices and write down the observations in a field diary, read both classic and innovative ethnographies as well as theoretical syntheses of the relevant literature, and be prepared to give concise yet in-depth presentations on them. The course meets six times this autumn on the Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings of September 30–October 1, October 21–22, and November 11–12 for two 90-minute sessions each time. September 30 16.00–17.20 What Is East-Central Europe? Political and Cultural Geographies September 30 17.40–18.20 East-Central Europe as an Area of Anthropological Studies September 30 18.30–19.30 Last Bus Stop (Documentary Film Screening) October 1 10.00–11.30 What Was Socialism? Historical and Economic Conceptualizations October 1 11.50–13.20 Political and Economic Theories of State Socialism October 21 16.00–17.30 Economic Reforms, Consumer Socialism, Second Economy October 21 17.50–19.20 Theories and Histories of the Transition October 22 10.00–11.30 Wild East: Global Capitalism in East-Central Europe October 22 11.50–13.20 Privatization, Consumerism, and the Discourse on Normality November 11 16.00–17.30 Trajectories of Social and Cultural Change after 1989 November 11 17.50–19.20 History and Identity in the Post-Socialist Context November 12 10.00–11.30 Forms of Nationalism in East-Central Europe November 12 11.50–13.20 Gender and Generation: Enduring Traditions of Exclusion December 3 12:00 Final papers due The course grades will be based on written work and class participation. The in-class presentation of selected readings and active participation in the classroom discussions will account for 30 percent, completion of the brief research assignment on ethnographic observations for 30 percent, and submitting the final take-home essay for 40 percent of the grade. It is not allowed to miss more than one seminar session – sign up for the course only if you are able to be present during all classes. The assigned ethnographic observations shall be conducted before November 5 and their results are to be discussed during the class of November 12. Final essays shall be submitted by 12:00 noon on December 3 and the course grades will be in the Information System (IS) during the second week of December. Specific readings for the successive topics of the course will be distributed separately in a reader that is available either in print or in an electronic form through the IS. Miklós Vörös miklos.voros@gmail.com (or 38322@mail.muni.cz)