The Unmaking of Soviet Life: Everyday Economies after Socialism (Culture and Society after Socialism)

In order to understand today's Russia and former Soviet republics, it is vital to consider their socialist past. Caroline Humphrey, one of anthropology's most highly regarded thinkers on a number of topics including consumption, identity, and ritual, is the ideal guide to the intricacies of post-Soviet culture. The Unmaking of Soviet Life brings together ten of Humphrey's best essays, which cover, geographically, Central Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia; and thematically, the politics of locality, property, and persons.Bridging the strongest of Humphrey's work from 1991 to 2001, the essays do a great deal to demystify the sensational topics of mafia, barter, bribery, and the new shamanism by locating them in the lived experiences of a wide range of subjects. The Unmaking of Soviet Life includes a foreword and introductory paragraphs by Bruce Grant and Nancy Ries that precede each essay. | In order to understand today's Russia and former Soviet republics, it is vital to consider their socialist past. Caroline Humphrey, one of anthropology's most highly regarded thinkers on a number of topics including consumption, identity, and ritual, is the ideal guide to the intricacies of post-Soviet culture. The Unmaking of Soviet Life brings together ten of Humphrey's best essays, which cover, geographically, Central Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia; and thematically, the politics of locality, property, and persons. Bridging the strongest of Humphrey's work from 1991 to 2001, the essays do a great deal to demystify the sensational topics of mafia, barter, bribery, and the new shamanism by locating them in the lived experiences of a wide range of subjects. The Unmaking of Soviet Life includes a foreword and introductory paragraphs by Bruce Grant and Nancy Ries that precede each essay. CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS Foreword: The Shifting Fields of Culture and Society after Socialism NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS INTRODUCTION PART I: LOCALITY IN AN UNSTABLE STATE INTRODUCTION TO PART I CHAPTER 1. "ICEBERGS," BARTER, AND THE MAFIA IN PROVINCIAL RUSSIA CHAPTER 2. MYTH MAKING, NARRATIVES, AND THE DISPOSSESSED IN RUSSIA CHAPTER 3. CREATING A CULTURE OF DISILLUSIONMENT CONSUMPTION MOSCOW, A CHRONICLE OF CHANGING TIMES PART II: STRATEGIES BEYOND THE LAW INTRODUCTION TO PART II CHAPTER 4. TRADERS, "DISORDER," AND CITIZENSHIP REGIMES IN PROVINCIAL RUSSIA CHAPTER 5. RUSSIAN PROTECTION RACKETS AND THE APPROPRIATION OF LAW AND ORDER CHAPTER 6. RETHINKING BRIBERY IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA PART III: RETHINKING PERSONHOOD INTRODUCTION TO PART III CHAPTER 7. AVGAI KHAD THEFT AND SOCIAL TRUST IN POSTCOMMUNIST MONGOLIA CHAPTER 8. THE DOMESTIC MODE OF PRODUCTION IN POST-SOVIET SIBERIA? CHAPTER 9. THE VILLAS OF THE "NEW RUSSIANS": A SKETCH OF CONSUMPTION AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN POST-SOVIET LANDSCAPES CHAPTER 10. SHAMANS IN THE CITY NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

In order to understand today's Russia and former Soviet republics, it is vital to consider their socialist past. Caroline Humphrey, one of anthropology's most highly regarded thinkers on a number of topics including consumption, identity, and ritual, is the ideal guide to the intricacies of post-Soviet culture. The Unmaking of Soviet Life brings together ten of Humphrey's best essays, which cover, geographically, Central Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia; and thematically, the politics of locality, property, and persons.

Bridging the strongest of Humphrey's work from 1991 to 2001, the essays do a great deal to demystify the sensational topics of mafia, barter, bribery, and the new shamanism by locating them in the lived experiences of a wide range of subjects. The Unmaking of Soviet Life includes a foreword and introductory paragraphs by Bruce Grant and Nancy Ries that precede each essay.

Pt. 1. The Politics Of Locality In An Unstable State. Icebergs, Barter, And The Mafia In Provincial Russia. Mythmaking, Narratives, And The Dispossessed In Russia. Creating A Culture Of Disillusionment : Consumption In Moscow, A Chronicle Of Changing Times -- Pt. 2. Strategies Beyond The Law. Traders, Disorder, And Citizenship Regimes In Provincial Russia. Russian Protection Rackets And The Appropriation Of Law And Order. Rethinking Bribery In Contemporary Russia -- Pt. 3. Rethinking Personhood. Avgai Khad : Theft And Social Trust In Postcommunist Mongolia. The Domestic Mode Of Production In Post-soviet Siberia? The Villas Of The New Russians : A Sketch Of Consumption And Cultural Identity In Post-soviet Landscapes. Shamans In The City. Caroline Humphrey. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [223]-258) And Index. The Unmaking of Soviet Life brings together ten essays from award-winning author Caroline Humphrey. Humphrey explores such topics as the mafia, barter, bribery, and the new shamanism, locating them in the experiences of a wide range of subjects Late at night, I was driving through the streets of Ulan-Ude with a Burial friend, and I saw a crowd of people huddled against the wall of a dark building, their shoulders turned against the wind.1