Paper short abstract:

Considering a potential return to the field, anthropologists face "endo-nostalgia" for past ethnographic experiences and "exo-nostalgia" for unexplored phenomena. This contribution aims to explore various dimensions of ethnographers' nostalgia and its impact on anthropological research and writing.

Paper long abstract:

In the late 2000s, my ethnographic research in contemporary Serbia focused on the evolving perceptions of the body and corporeality within groups practicing 'eastern' therapeutic and meditative techniques. Immersed in their activities and connected through an extensive informant network, I scrutinized the complex interaction between cultural perspectives on the body and diverse health knowledge in a specific sociocultural context.

In 2009, I relocated to France, pragmatically adjusting my research focus, and distancing myself from my prior work and the associated field without giving it much thought. This shift marked a new chapter, involving thesis writing in a foreign language while juggling roles as an academic researcher and a parent. Despite remotely following my initial field through digital platforms, I discerned new aspects in my contacts' practices, particularly changes in their narratives. The global health crisis in 2020 intensified my desire to revisit my previous research area from a new perspective. However, at that time, I faced a unique predicament : being in the final phase of writing a thesis on an entirely different subject and with no possibility of traveling, returning to my initial field seemed impossible.

Since then, I have navigated between two nostalgic sentiments: "endo-nostalgia" for ethnographic experiences I have previously lived, and "exo-nostalgia" for unexplored phenomena. My intention in this contribution is to explore various dimensions of ethnographers' nostalgia, contemplating a potential return to the field.