The Black Sea as region and horizon

Focaal—Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology 70

THEME SECTION

Black Sea Currents

Edited by Caroline Humphrey and Vera Skvirskaja

Focaal—Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology 70 (2014): 3-11

Introduction - The Black Sea as region and horizon

The introduction by Caroline Humphrey and Vera Skvirskaja outlines different perspectives on the Black Sea: in history, as a site of imperial conflicts and a buffer zone; in area studies, as a “region”; and in anthropology, as a sea crisscrossed by migration, cultural influences, alternative visions, and often a mutual turning of backs. The article then discuses the Black Sea in the context of maritime ethnography and the study of ports, “hero cities”, pipelines, and political crises. It considers Smith’s notion of the “territorialization of memory” in relation to histories of exile and the more recent interactions brought about by migration and trade. Concluding, the authors discuss how the Black Sea has appeared as a “horizon” and imaginary of the beyond for the peoples living around its shores.