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Accepted Paper:

We are all indigenous now: culture vs. nature in representations of the Balkans  
Aleksandar Boskovic (Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade)

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Paper short abstract:

The paper outlines the application of different models in explaining the 'Balkan wars' of the 1990s. It is argued that anthropologists are unable to escape evolutionist paradigms, reflected in symbolic dichotomies (like 'culture' vs. 'nature'), but also in less symbolic taking of sides in political conflicts.

Paper long abstract:

Beginning with Kuper's criticism of the contruction of "primitive society," and picking up the points made on the concept of "indigeneity," the paper looks at the application of different models in explaining the "Balkan wars" of 1990s. It is argued that in many cases, anthropologists are unable to escape the evolutionist paradigms, reflected in postulation of symbolic dichotomies (like "culture" vs. "nature"), but also in less symbolic taking of sides in political conflicts.

Panel W093
Culture, context and controversy
  Session 1