Dr. Larisa Kurtović

Biography

Research located at the intersection of political anthropology, postsocialist studies, and contemporary social political theory. For over a decade, I have been conducting multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork in postwar Bosnia-Herzegovina, primarily with political activists and community organizers. In this context, I studied the emergent forms of political thinking and action that arise in response to the pitfalls of internationally sponsored democratization and the expectations forged by Yugoslav socialism. I am currently writing a book on civic activism and international democracy promotion entitled "Future Predicament: Bosnia-Herzegovina Political Action Catastrophe." This ethnographic study of everyday politics and civic activism critically engages with the international reformers' conceptualization of the problem of “political apathy.” My ongoing projects include writing on popular culture, visual media, nationalist politics, and the history of political patronage in the Balkans. I welcome inquiries from current and prospective graduate students interested in research focusing on political, economic, environmental, and historical anthropology, as well as activist social justice movements and postsocialist post-conflict studies. Students looking to pursue research in Europe, the post-Soviet space, and Eurasia are especially encouraged to reach out.

Research Interests

Experience