The conference focuses on growing political and social polarisation. We are living in a time of deepening crises and the radicalisation of views, but also one of new ideas on how to counteract these negative trends in this context, while fostering knowledge and attitudes based on dialogue, cooperation, and concern for the common good. Discussions in Poznań will explore the causes and mechanisms of polarisation observed in various parts of the world, as well as the role that socio-cultural anthropology can play not only in describing these phenomena, but also in overcoming them. Socio-cultural anthropology is a field of study that places humanity at the centre of its inquiry, critically examining all aspects of human existence in relation to the wider environment. Anthropological research methods are characterised by close, long-term contact with people in their natural environments, high ethical standards, and a commitment to tackling inequality.
Selected conference events will be open to the public!
EASA2026 is set to be the largest anthropology conference ever held in Poland. The four-day programme will feature panels, discussions, laboratories, and film screenings. The opening ceremony and plenary sessions will take place in the AMU Auditorium, while the daily sessions will be held on the Morasko Campus.
On Wednesday, 22 July, a public screening of ethnographic films will be held at Zamek Culture Centre. The screening will feature "Katwe", which explores life in Uganda in the shadow of corruption and the colonial legacy, and "Song of Aida", which follows a young Roma woman's hopeful and persistent quest for independence over the span of 20 years. Both films perfectly illustrate the unique nature of ethnographic cinema, blending the visual arts with the anthropological research process. The following evening, both conference participants and Poznań residents are invited to join the festivities at a concert featuring Sw@da x Niczos and Anastasia Rydlevskaya, held as part of the "Scena nad Rusałką" (Stage by Rusałka) series by Lake Rusałka. The comprehensive conference programme and details of accompanying events are available at https://easaonline.org/conferences/easa2026/
Organisers
The event organiser, the European Association of Social Anthropologists, has been actively promoting the discipline for 35 years, aiming to explain the pressing problems of contemporary societies through fieldwork-based research.
The host of the proceedings, the AMU Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology, is the oldest academic ethnological and anthropological institution in Poland, established alongside the founding of Poznań University in 1919. The Institute's staff conduct extensive research into the state of the modern world. Key research themes include identity, migration and forced displacement, post-colonial relations and the post-socialist reality, cultural heritage, climate change, the energy transition, and human-environment relations. The high qualifications of its staff, the quality and scale of its research, and its innovative teaching methods are regularly recognised in evaluation, accreditation, and grant awarding procedures.
Sponsors and honorary patronage
The event is held under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of Poznań and is co-financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the New York-based Wenner-Gren Foundation. The organisation of the event is supported by the City of Poznań and Aquanet S.A.
(For inquiries, please contact Dr Karolina Dziubata-Smykowska from the AMU Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology at karolina.dziubata@amu.edu.pl, tel. +48 782 017 802, or Paweł Butkiewicz, MA, at pawelbutkiewicz15@gmail.com, tel. +48 792 415 726)
Conference, sponsor, and honorary patron logos: https://easaonline.org/easa-conference/easa2026/andrzej-wieteszka-artist-ofthe-easa2026-poznan-icon/
