Paper short abstract:

Anthropology needs alliances in central and eastern europe that will allow it to become a cosmopolitan social science and not a regional specialism. I will discuss present weaknesses of the anthropology of postsocialism and problems in the conjunction of anthropology and history.

Paper long abstract:

I will argue that anthropology needs alliances in central and eastern europe that will allow it to become a cosmopolitan social science and not a regional specialism. Folklore is very probably not such an ally. I will discuss present weaknesses of the anthropology of postsocialism and will claim that a closer focus at the issues at stake in the revitalized conjunction of anthropology and history, in particular in the light of current neoliberal globalizations and new imperialisms, could help to envision improvements of substance and tactics.