Papers by Ela Drazkiewicz-Grodzicka
Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale
It has been a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. It is clear that the impact of ... more It has been a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. It is clear that the impact of this war goes far beyond Ukraine. We already know that it will have long-lasting consequences for the regional and global economy, in particular for energy and food security. The war is reshuffling old geo-political arrangements and alliances. It is also shaping the political landscapes of European states: international relations, inflation and migration are increasingly becoming key topics in national elections.
Social Anthropology/Anthropologie sociale, 2023
Introduction: Anthropological Perspectives on War, Displacement, Humanitarianism and the Hierarch... more Introduction: Anthropological Perspectives on War, Displacement, Humanitarianism and the Hierarchies of Knowledge in the Studies of the Confl ict It has been a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. It is clear that the impact of this war goes far beyond Ukraine. We already know that it will have long-lasting consequences for the regional and global economy, in particular for energy and food security. Th e war is reshuffl ing old geo-political arrangements and alliances. It is also shaping the political landscapes of European states: international relations, infl ation and migration are increasingly becoming key topics in national elections. Certainly, this war will determine the future of Ukraine and Russia as well as Europe, the EU and NATO. Consequently, many people are identifying this war as 'ours'. Many do so not only out of political awareness, but also in a gesture of solidarity. Yet I am hesitant to appropriate this war as 'ours' because, without a doubt, no one bears the cost and consequences of this war like Ukraine and its people do. I am deeply aware of my privilege, being in a safe location, with peace of mind, able to edit this Forum on war while others have to live through its unimaginable atrocities, caused by the Russian aggressor. Since the 2022 invasion started, numerous articles and statements have been written. Th e strength of our discipline was refl ected in many poignant essays off ering insights into the situation on the ground, describing the experiences of people fi ghting to survive the violence (Kalenychenko 2022; Phillips 2022), self-organising defence and assistance (Caldwell 2022; Channell-Justice 2022; Nading 2022), managing the unimaginable. Many of those pieces were fi rst-hand accounts by scholars who, in spite of diffi culties, somehow found the strength to document the atrocities of this war. Most accounts grew out of long-term ethnographic engagements with local communities and in-depth knowledge of Ukrainian realities, and consequently showed very well what is at stake in this war. Within this scholarship, special attention has been given to the Ukrainian people's displacement. It continues to be the biggest and the fastest displacement that Europe has witnessed since the Second World War. Since February 2022, approximately a third This article is available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license as part of Berghahn Open Anthro, a subscribe-to-open model for APC-free open access made possible by the journal's subscribers.
Anthropology in Action, 2023
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, two contrasting images quickly became representative of the crisi... more When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, two contrasting images quickly became representative of the crisis. On the one hand, there were heroic doctors working day and night with the novel virus, risking their lives and making sacrifices to save others. On the other, there were 'anti-maskers' and 'anti-vaxxers': people doubting if the virus is real, questioning the effectiveness of protective measures, suspicious that the crisis is nothing more than an elaborate plot, a scam aimed to redesign their world and to destroy the values they hold dear. Reflecting on research conducted in Ireland with people separated by the conspiratorial divide, this paper examines some methodological and analytical challenges of doing simultaneous research with opposing stakeholders. Analysing my own entanglements in the conflicts over vaccines and conspiracy theories in this paper I argue that the pandemic was not just a battle to secure the acceptability of specific medical technology (the COVID-19 vaccine) but was also about safeguarding respectability of science and maintaining the rule of experts. It was about preventing ontological turn, the end of the era of reason, a dawn of modernity.
PACO, 2022
In recent years, conspiracy theories have been increasingly defined as a new social enemy, a thre... more In recent years, conspiracy theories have been increasingly defined as a new social enemy, a threat to democracy. But scholars of conspiracy theories also point out that we have very little research that examines a direct link between conspiracy theories and political practice. We still know very little about the ways in which conspiratorial beliefs influence different forms of civic engagement and democratic participation. By examining Irish and Polish movements that endorse vaccination-related conspiracy theories, this article explores what relation they have to civil society. I argue that, in order to shed the negative label of conspiracy theories, such movements engage in the practices of mimesis and mimicry. According to Markus Hoehne, mimesis is a form of positive appraisal, an art of imitating well-established models of social and political organization. Mimicry, on the other hand, involves the deceptive imitation of such models in order to attain one's own political agenda. What, then, are the Covid-19 era protests: masters of mimicry or masters of mimesis?
Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology
In this special issue, we examine gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories in times of crisis. Mos... more In this special issue, we examine gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories in times of crisis. Most recently, interest in this topic has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Sobo, Drążkiewicz, 2021). But this is not the first socio-medical crisis that has prompted alternative explanations. Rumours and conspiracy theories surrounded the HIV epidemic (
In this special issue, we examine gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories in times of crisis. Mos... more In this special issue, we examine gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories in times of crisis. Most recently, interest in this topic has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Sobo, Drążkiewicz, 2021). But this is not the first socio-medical crisis that has prompted alternative explanations. Rumours and conspiracy theories surrounded the HIV epidemic (
The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology, 2021
Why do bad things happen? We live in a world where expectations of health, security, and fair gov... more Why do bad things happen? We live in a world where expectations of health, security, and fair governance-welfare, in short-do not always match our lived experiences. Conspiracy theories are one way of dealing with gaps between hopes and reality, between the visible and the hidden, and between expert and lay knowledge. They often start as a way of making sense of misfortune, whether a dramatic national event, an ecological disaster, or a health crisis in one's family. The assumption is that some actors have intentionally conspired to cause such harms for their own benefit. Conspiracy theories concern disasters affecting individuals, but they may also be connected to perceptions of persecution against a way of life; against whole ethnic, racial, or religious groups; or against social categories such as women, men, or children. They are meaning systems that either explain or make sense of specific events or of social, political, or economic systems of power. Conspiracy theories often address fundamental questions about the presence of good and evil, and purport to unveil hidden forces in the world. Thus, they are frequently connected to cosmologies in ways that make for interesting anthropological scrutiny. Not all cosmologies-conventionally defined as theories or interpretations of the past, present, and future of the universe or humankind-involve conspiracy theories, of course. Not all cosmologies are based on ideas of evil planning. But most fully fledged conspiracy theories have a cosmological aspect. For people sealed in a worldview where right and wrong, and good and bad, are exceptionally pronounced, conspiracy theories are a source of explanations about the ordering of the cosmos. Conspiracy theories can fruitfully be scrutinized as or in cosmology (see Dyrendal, Robertson, and Asprem 2018). Conspiracy theories as cosmology explain and make sense of suffering with reference to the intentional evil actions of a secret or hidden power. They typically demonize or glorify groups or individuals and display a dualistic worldview where malevolent and evil forces, spirits, or actors threaten the very survival of the universe, humankind, or society. Here combatants are locked in a celestial or worldly battle with kind and benevolent forces, spirits, or actors trying to reveal the hidden plots and thwart such evil machinations. But conspiracy theories can also be woven into preexisting cosmologies and belief systems, by connecting contemporary sociopolitical struggles with already available prophecies and beliefs. This latter connection has been creatively scrutinized by anthropologists who work on contemporary occult cosmologies involving magical, mystical, or evil forces. One important contribution is Transparency and Conspiracy: Ethnography of Suspicion in the New World Order (West and Sanders 2003), with case studies from Africa, Asia, and the United States. This work analyzes how power is both revealed and concealed in the The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Edited by Hilary Callan.
For international aid workers, gossip is a means of navigating a complex industry and acquiring e... more For international aid workers, gossip is a means of navigating a complex industry and acquiring essential information
After Repeal, 2020
This paper examines the politics of the successful referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in t... more This paper examines the politics of the successful referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in the Republic of Ireland, held in May 2018. Exploring how trust (or the lack thereof) shaped the trajectory and processes of the Repeal campaign, we demonstrate that political trust is not necessarily a prerequisite of modern democracies; instead, we contend that both political trust and mistrust are essential, complementary and productive elements of political life.
Social Anthropology, 2020
In 2018, the Irish public voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which s... more In 2018, the Irish public voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which since 1983 banned abortion in the country. While this was a watershed moment in Irish history, it was not unconnected to wider discussions now taking place around the world concerning gender, reproductive rights, the future of religion, Church-State relationships, democracy and social movements. With this Forum, we want to prompt some anthropological interpretations of Ireland's repeal of the Eighth Amendment as a matter concerning not only reproductive rights, but also questions of life and death, faith and shame, women and men, state power and individual liberty, and more. We also ask what this event might mean (if anything) for other societies dealing with similar issues?
For international aid workers, gossip is a means of navigating a complex industry and acquiring e... more For international aid workers, gossip is a means of navigating a complex industry and acquiring essential information
Journal for Cultural Research, 2021
This paper considers the dual approach to conspiracy theories in anthropological studies. While s... more This paper considers the dual approach to conspiracy theories in anthropological studies. While some anthropologists suggest treating them seriously because they might reveal some truths, others argue that conspiracy theories require serious attention, because they are alarming and present a threat to social cohesion and democracy. Analysing conflicts over HPV immunisation programmes in Ireland, this paper investigates if there is a way of bridging this divide. In contrast to most studies on vaccine hesitancy, this paper avoids reducing the issue to the problem of knowledge deficiency. Instead, it takes a holistic approach: rather than seeing medical conspiracy theorising as a problem of singular groups, it examines it as a relational issue that connects and disconnects different stakeholders, including medical professionals, families, and health administrators.
After Repeal, 2020
This paper examines the politics of the successful referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in t... more This paper examines the politics of the successful referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in the Republic of Ireland, held in May 2018. Exploring how trust (or the lack thereof) shaped the trajectory and processes of the Repeal campaign, we demonstrate that political trust is not necessarily a prerequisite of modern democracies; instead, we contend that both political trust and mistrust are essential, complementary and productive elements of political life.
Social Anthropology, 2020
In 2018, the Irish public voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which s... more In 2018, the Irish public voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which since 1983 banned abortion in the country. While this was a watershed moment in Irish history, it was not unconnected to wider discussions now taking place around the world concerning gender, reproductive rights, the future of religion, Church-State relationships, democracy and social movements. With this Forum, we want to prompt some anthropological interpretations of Ireland's repeal of the Eighth Amendment as a matter concerning not only reproductive rights, but also questions of life and death, faith and shame, women and men, state power and individual liberty, and more. We also ask what this event might mean (if anything) for other societies dealing with similar issues?
Journal for Cultural Research, 2021
This paper considers the dual approach to conspiracy theories in anthropological studies. While s... more This paper considers the dual approach to conspiracy theories in anthropological studies. While some anthropologists suggest treating them seriously because they might reveal some truths, others argue that conspiracy theories require serious attention, because they are alarming and present a threat to social cohesion and democracy. Analysing conflicts over HPV immunisation programmes in Ireland, this paper investigates if there is a way of bridging this divide. In contrast to most studies on vaccine hesitancy, this paper avoids reducing the issue to the problem of knowledge deficiency. Instead, it takes a holistic approach: rather than seeing medical conspiracy theorising as a problem of singular groups, it examines it as a relational issue that connects and disconnects different stakeholders, including medical professionals, families, and health administrators.
Social & Cultural Geography, 2017
This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South ... more This article provides an insight into the world of Polish development workers operating in South Sudan. It shows that the conceptualisations of aid work in terms of a 'mission' , a unique job with a special, ethical goal, a difficult, risky operation requiring specific skills are not incidental. Instead, the point is made, that such ways of thinking about foreign aid and distant locations are strongly institutionalised sets of values and behavioural patterns, here defined as 'work in crisis'. This specific notion is shaped by aid organisations who actively promote this rhetoric firstly through producing 'truth' about the aid work and project locations, and secondly through governing lived realities of the aid workers. The 'work in crisis' rhetoric helps to draw people into a development movement as devoted and allegiant followers. It also enables the management of these employees who are the most crucial for the industry-project coordinators-but who are separated from the organisational headquarters and NGO management by thousands of miles. Finally, it assists in the promotion of foreign aid among wider audiences in donor societies. Le travail en situation de crise: gérer les fantasmes sur les étrangers lointains, gérer les travailleurs humanitaires RÉSUMÉ Cet article apporte une vision sur le monde de travailleurs humanitaires polonais qui interviennent au Soudan du Sud. Il démontre que les conceptualisations du travail humanitaire en matière de « mission », de travail unique en son genre avec un but spécial et éthique, une opération à risques, difficile, qui exige des compétences spécifiques, ne sont pas fortuites. Plutôt, l'argument présenté est que de telles manières de penser à propos de l'aide à l'étranger et dans des régions lointaines constituent un ensemble de valeurs de modes de pensées et de schémas comportementaux, définis ici en tant que « travail en situation de crise ». Cette notion particulière est déterminée par les organisations humanitaires qui promeuvent activement cette rhétorique, premièrement, en présentant « la vérité » au sujet du travail humanitaire et des emplacements du projet et deuxièmement en gouvernant les réalités vécues des travailleurs humanitaires. La rhétorique du « travail en situation de crise » aide à attirer les gens dans un mouvement de développement en tant qu'adeptes dévoués et loyaux. Elle permet aussi la gestion des employés qui sont essentiels
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Papers by Ela Drazkiewicz-Grodzicka
In this paper I want to examine how development and foreign involvement in Africa is firstly triggered and later legitimatized in the country which has (almost) no colonial history in Africa and hardly any socio-political, cultural or economical connections with the region. What impact does it have on the development engagement itself? In order to answer those questions I propose to look at some historical (dis)connections of Poland with Africa and how they influences today’s politics of development engagement. An excellent aid in understanding this background might be the study of some historical examples of the XIXth and early XXth century Polish explorers, writers and colonizers who made their way to Africa, followed by the examination of post 1944 forms of the international relations build by the socialist Poland within a Cold War era.
On another hand it must be acknowledged that those historical forms of connections more and more often do not satisfy contemporary audiences, in particular development activists themselves. Especially after almost 50 years of specific “expulsion” from the world system both Polish State and individuals are eager to write the history anew and redefine their position in the world, reformulate relations with particular regions. The shuffling of the elements requires that also Africa must be “invented” anew, and the history of the relations with the continent reconsidered. This approach is especially visible in the works of the development activists who in order to legitimize their foreign engagement must create a connection with Africa and render it from an abstract and a distant place to a relevant and familiar subject. Here I want to discuss what kind of strategies do development actors take up in order to achieve that goal: how Africa is "discovered" and how new expert science on Africa is created.
After the Cold War era, and the years of expulsion to the margins of the global politics, the development seems to work as a way back to the international arena. The visions of the global solidarity and connectivity are at heart of this modern faith in development. Yet, to fulfil new aspirations the "subjects of development" and the development itself need to be (re)discovered. It is exactly here when the anticipation and fantasy become the most crucial.
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