Socialisms and Postsocialisms in a Global Context

Convener: Dr Nicolette Makovicky

Speaker: Maria Șalaru

From neighbourly disputes over garlic-heavy cooking to memories of Ceausescu’s heatless winters, The Block explores the rich social and material universe of a Romanian apartment building. It follows the story of the block’s administrator, in his effort to mediate relationships between neighbours and maintain peace and order. In doing so, it crayons the rich nuances of the inhabitants’ everyday lives. The block comes to life as its inhabitants constantly reshape it to defy the passing of time, while its failing infrastructure encroaches on their neighbourly relations.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with Maria Șalaru over wine.

Socialisms and Postsocialisms in a Global Context is a shared space for intellectual conversation about the contributions the studies of socialism and postsocialism can make in and across different disciplines. We are particularly interested in thinking about what insights derived from studies of socialism and postsocialism can offer with regard to understanding the current historical moment.

Nicolette Makovicky, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies

Dace Dzenovska, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography