This is a seminar which explores the most current descriptions and analysis of East European culture written by anthropologists, folkorists, and ethnomusicologists. We will investigate what constitutes an anthropological approach to Eastern Europe in contrast to approaches of journalists, political scientists, etc. Students themselves will select the readings (which many include books on Bosnian village life before and during the war, Bulgarian village agriculture, Romanian interpretations of post-socialism, Roma (Gypsy) in Hungary, Albanians in the diaspora, etc) and design and lead the discussions. The course is especially useful for graduate students who plan to do research in Eastern Europe.