Anthropological Journal of European Cultures

In bringing together the closing issue of 2025, and his last with AJEC (for now), Aleksandar Bošković opens several conversations about revisiting the past that will continue across the journal's pages in the next few issues.

This special issue is about the multifaceted histories of anthropology, moving beyond traditional, linear narratives to explore diverse local, regional, national, and transnational origins and transformations. It addresses the shift from a singular ‘history of anthropology’ to multiple ‘histories of anthropologies,’ reflecting the discipline's varied styles and the importance of previously marginalized national and regional traditions, and examines forgotten, marginalized, and ‘failed’ academic biographies, enriching our understanding of anthropology's past and challenging conventional narratives. It highlights how historical, institutional, and interpersonal barriers can impact academic careers and how rediscovering these figures can contribute to cultural and historical memories. The articles, stemming from a panel at the EASA Conference in Barcelona, evaluate whether these alternative histories ‘undo’ inherited narratives or serve as addenda, aiming to reshape the teaching and understanding of anthropology's histories.

This article deals with Paul Leser, one of the few ethnologists in Germany who clearly opposed racial theories and their inclusion in ethnological studies. As a student of Fritz Graebner, Leser addressed the criticism directed at his teacher for not considering the ‘racial complex’ in his cultural-historical method. At a time when physical anthropology and ethnology were still closely intertwined in Germany, and ethnographies often contained racist explanations, Leser stated more explicitly than other ethnologists in Germany at the time why ‘racial theories’ cannot be considered reliable sources. He submitted this work as his habilitation thesis in 1926, but he was supposed to withdraw it. The work remained unpublished. Due to his Jewish heritage, Leser fled to Sweden in 1936 and later to the United States in 1942. Besides holding guest professorships in Germany and Austria, he worked as an ethnologist in the United States until his death in 1984.

The emergence of Afro-Brazilian studies is deeply intertwined with the development of Brazilian anthropology, shaped by transnational collaborations and disputes. This article examines the relationships among Arthur Ramos (1903–1949), Rüdiger Bilden (1893–1980), and Ruth Landes (1908–1991) to explore the tensions and asymmetries within this field. Drawing on archival materials from the Arquivo Arthur Ramos at the National Library of Rio de Janeiro, the analysis focuses on how the interactions between Bilden and Ramos influenced Landes's work in Brazil. Rather than centring on the criticisms Landes faced after the publication of The City of Women (1947), the article demonstrates that these attacks began much earlier, reflecting deeper epistemological disputes over the production of anthropological knowledge. By bringing to light the intellectual dynamics that shaped Afro-Brazilian studies, this article contributes to a broader understanding of the historical and political forces that have defined the discipline.

This article presents an exceptional ethnographic fieldwork situation in which the ethnographer performs a dual role – as both the observer and the observed ‘native’. Following a road accident that led to a month-long stay in a medical rehabilitation clinic housing over thirty inmates, the author made the unusual decision to act upon this involuntary residence as a site for ethnographic research, resembling a ‘total institution’. The resulting account, presenting the interactions between the author, fellow patients, and medical staff, reveals a condensed ethnographic portrait of the complex ethnic, cultural, political, and religious diversity that characterises Israeli society. The article concludes by reflecting on a central query: to what extent does the ethnographer's exceptional dual position align with professional ethics – or, alternatively, offer an innovative contribution to the terrain of anthropological ethnographic methods and records.

Writing is key in anthropology, one of its main modes of communication. Teaching, research, publications, and outreach all build on, or consist of, writing. Anthropological writing styles have evolved over time according to changing politics in the discipline. One game-changer was the 1980s ‘writing culture’ debate that led to an understanding of writing as a craft to be cultivated in the discipline. Anthropological writing genres range from memoirs to fiction and journalism. Writing in non-academic genres can be a way to make anthropological approaches more widely known, and can inspire academic writing to become more accessible. Writing accessible academic anthropology requires training, and writing public anthropology does too. However, the focus on citation indices in academia can hinder experimental and creative writings.

The article examines the underexplored phenomenon of conversion to Shia Islam in Russia, where Shias form a small minority within the Muslim population. Drawing on literature review, ethnography, and interviews with prominent converts, it identifies intellectual inquiry and spiritual quest as primary motives, alongside occasional political or social justice orientations. Conversion trajectories include transitions from Christianity, atheism, or Sunni Islam, as well as renewed observance among ethnically Shia individuals. Cases reveal how theological coherence, rational appeal, and personal networks drive conversions despite limited Shia resources in Russian. The research highlights patterns comparable to other contexts, yet shaped by Russia's Soviet legacy, ethnic diversity, and geopolitical perceptions. Findings underscore the need for broader ethnographic and quantitative studies to capture less visible convert experiences.

Urban exploration is the hobby of those who want to reach the fringes of society and the abandoned and rusting traces of the past. Photography in these forgotten places is as much part of the experience in urban exploration as the actual entering of abandoned buildings. We focus especially on abandoned industrial buildings and how they are represented online. This article attempts to understand the meanings and emotions behind urban exploration and the resulting photography. We argue that urban exploration can be understood as a type of journeying and that such experiences have spiritual and existential aspects. Photography enhances this emotional and spiritual connection with the abandoned sites and is a way of enhancing the experience. Social media enables the sharing of those experiences online.

André Thiemann (2024), The Politics of Relations: How Self-Government, Infrastructures, and Care Transform the State in Serbia (New York: Berghahn Books), 302pp, £104.00 (Hb), ISBN 978-1-80539-551-5, eBook ISBN 978-1-80539-552-2.

Robert Fell (2025), Traveller Storytelling in Scotland: Folklore, Ideology, Cultural Identity (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), 232pp, £19.99 (Pb), ISBN: 9781399526357

Agnieszka Pasieka (2025), Living Right: Far-Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press), 304pp, £30.00 (Hb), ISBN: 9780691258423

Ivana Stepanović (2025), Influencers, Online Alliances and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe #Balkans (London: Routledge), 186pp., £135.00, ISBN: 9781032551739