We look back warmly towards our latest meeting in Amsterdam, where we held our largest network event so far: over 130 papers that engaged with pressing questions, offering empirically grounded and theoretically informed reflections on the broad topic of shifting states (see full programme below). Here was the event’s call:
The conference presents a moment for anthropologists of the state in and beyond Europe to meet and present their research, collectively advancing our understanding of the state. This year’s conference seeks to illuminate the intricate relationships between shifting state formations and forms of governance, societal expectations, and the lived realities of individuals in times of uncertainty. As anthropologists interested in the state, we seek to make sense of the dynamics of power, governance, and identity in the face of contemporary crises. The current climate of conflict in Africa, the Levant, Southeast Asia, and Europe, the attempts to restrict asylum claims amidst economic austerity, and the re-legitimisation of imperial aspirations, necessitate critical reflection on shifting state formations. Participants explore the (re)formation of states, including dynamics of authoritarianism and the implications of state absence or failure. Over the course of three days, participants present papers that combine theoretical innovation with empirical research, fostering an understanding of how shifts in governance and statecraft manifest in diverse contexts. As the cost of living and housing crises escalate in urban areas, how do communities envision the state’s role in addressing their pressing needs? In an era marked by rising polarisation and contentious elections, what are the implications for governance and social cohesion?
The keynote was given by Alice von Bieberstein (Humboldt-University of Berlin), “Disavowed enemies: The criminalization of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and Germany’s contradictory war on terror”.
We thank the Local Organising Committee:
- Flávio Eiró (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
- Martha Kapazoglou (University of Amsterdam)
- Iris Kolman (University of Amsterdam)
- Anouk de Koning (University of Amsterdam)
- Wiebe Ruijtenberg (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
AnthroState Conveners
- Elizabeth Challinor (CRIA-FCSH-UNL)
- Flávio Eiró (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
- Klāvs Sedlenieks (Riga Stradiņš University)
