Time out of joint

This guest editorial critically examines the current landscape of European politics and reassesses anthropology's role in deciphering contemporary social and political dynamics. It analyzes the surge of populism, epitomized by leaders like Hungary's Viktor Orbán, and challenges prevailing narratives on migration, the Ukraine conflict and European integration. The editorial argues that anthropologists must engage more intimately with grassroots perspectives and the notion of ‘peoplehood’ to grasp the intricacies of national identity and sovereignty in our globalized era. By questioning the dominant liberal cosmopolitan worldview, it proposes an alternative anthropological approach that considers both the advantages and pitfalls of open borders and supranational entities like the EU. This call for a more holistic anthropological perspective aims to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between local, national and global forces shaping contemporary European societies.