The Mediterranean Redux: Ethnography, Theory, Politics

This book on historical anthropology reimagines the Mediterranean by reinterpreting classical themes from early Mediterraneanist anthropology in light of contemporary transnational dynamics and the new wave of scholarship on the region. The Mediterranean has become a focal point of international anxiety and academic interest due to the refugee crisis, which has challenged European humanitarian principles and internal political union. The book explores how ethnographers can contribute to the study of the Mediterranean and examines the region's potential for alternative forms of political relatedness.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 172 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Mediterranean has once again become a focal point of global concern and academic interest. It has re-emerged in the international headlines as a region plagued by desperate crossings and tragic endings, serving as the stage for a refugee crisis on par with the Second World War, unfolding in real-time for a worldwide audience. The magnitude of this crisis has put Europe's humanitarian ideals and internal political unity to the test, casting the Mediterranean as a mirror for longstanding tensions between universalism and national security demands. These captivating events have further fueled the surge of scholarly interest in the Mediterranean. How can ethnographers contribute to the emerging wave of scholarship on this region? To what extent does the Mediterranean present alternative models of political interconnectedness compared to those perceived within Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East? In this volume, we reexamine classical themes from early iterations of Mediterranean anthropology to address these critical questions in our exploration of evolving dynamics across land and sea borders, revitalizing ethnography's focus on the Mediterranean and reintroducing the Mediterranean's Mediterraneanism into ethnographic studies.

The chapters included in this book were originally featured as a special issue of the journal, History and Anthropology.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032214986