STRUGGLES TO OVERCOME ETHNOCENTRISM OF ETHNOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY STUDENTS

Abstract

The turbulent political developments in Macedonia in recent years have legitimised the paradox of the ethnocentric ethnologist or anthropologist, especially during the period of the right-wing government. This phenomenon has its own history, considering the existence of the concept of national scientific disciplines, whose aim is to cherish, strengthen and often (re)create national identity. This is usually the impression of the public about the tasks of these disciplines.
The text examines the stereotypical positions of the students at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, which persist despite the efforts of the teaching staff to deconstruct and problematise them from a methodological aspect. In order to illustrate this paradox, I will use the papers written by ethnology and anthropology students which contain ethnocentric, patriotic, even nationalistic positions. Although the curriculum of the Institute does not support such positions concerning what kind of researchers they should be in regard to their national identity, it becomes obvious that the struggle with the widely spread positions can be very difficult.