Graduate students:

Broadly, my main focus of research as a graduate student in anthropology is the reinvigoration of Orthodoxy in postcommunist Romania. I conducted ethnographic fieldwork in the hopes of understanding the processes involved "on the ground" from April until July 2004 in Bucharest, and am currently in the process of writing my Masters thesis based on my findings.

In Romania, Orthodoxy has been inextricably connected to ethnic identity and the national movement. In spite of communist curtailing for over four decades, after 1989, the Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC) re-emerged and reasserted itself on the public stage as the nation's "morality compass ". In this case, the reinvigoration of religion can be examined through the intensified political participation of the ROC, the building and restoration of churches, inclusion of religion classes in the educational system, or resurgence of church missionary activity. However, equally interesting is the revival of the 'popular' practice of miracle cults. As the ROC hierarchy is facing the "uncontrolled mushrooming of crying icons and miraculous relics" throughout the country, thousands of believers undertake pilgrimages to seek the sacred not only at the established and Patriarchy-authenticated cult sites, but also local cemeteries.

During large scale pilgrimages that seem to bring the national community together regardless of class, the ROC is increasingly attempting to reaffirm the need of the believer to access the sacred through the ecclesiastical structure by performing the rituals. Political leaders also take the best seats during the services as a means of gaining legitimacy and increasing their appeal to the masses. In contrast to the grassroots miracle cults and pilgrimages that occur with or without ROC approval, the hierarchy has began to establish pilgrimage offices that tailor pilgrimage experiences for the urban middle classes as a form of religious tourism. One is promised "spiritual recharging" while "rediscovering the historical and cultural treasures of rustic Romania". Pilgrimage is becoming one of the fastest growing leisure activities and monasteries and convents are learning to adapt to the new guest demands of believers.

It is known that the state is determined integrate Romania into the 'new Europe' through increased Western-style modernization, which adds to the complexity of the situation. One of the EU-recommended directions has been the development of tourism, and the government brought in the promotion of 'authentic' Romanian monasteries as Europe's new spiritual strongholds. As Europe's New Jerusalem, Romania is promoted as a unique spiritual leader rather than developmental laggard. The EU and the state have began development to raise monasteries to 'Occidental tourist standards'. Of course, to Western tourists, monks, peasants, dictators and vampires still represent Romania as the medieval, mystical Other. The monasteries are sites of sacred foundations and places of rest for martyred national heroes and pious saints. Their access by pilgrims strengthens the belief in the regenerative power of mass and individual sacrifice to ensure a glorious destiny. So, rather than assuming that EU integration will increase secularization, let's examine how the reinterpretation of the past by stressing the Golden Age of the martyr defenders of Orthodoxy, monastic life, and ongoing popular religiosity are being increasingly used as the crux of Romania's national identity. Of course, if you consider pilgrims' critiques of the state, Church, and EU integration, as well as their participation in informal miracle cults, you may wonder if this is too much to assume uncritically…

Wu Xu [Warren Wu], Ph.D. June 2003

2005. The New-year's-eve Dinner and Wormwood Meal: Festival Foodways as Ethnic Markers in Enshi, China. Forthcoming in: Modern China.

2004. "Ethnic Foods" and Regional Identity: the Hezha Restaurants in Enshi. In Food and Foodways, 12(4):225-246. on line

2003. "Turning Waste into Things of Value": Marketing Fern, Kudzu and Osmunda in Enshi Prefecture, China. In Journal of Developing Societies, 19(4):433-457.
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M.A. graduates: