Ecological Anthropological Research in Hungary. Foreword

Abstract

Ecological anthropology in Hungary was never studied on such a broad scale and as systematically as it was in the English speaking countries. The theoretical and methodological issues of this discipline were covered more in details [beside a couple of papers by Mihály Sárkány, a man interested in and open to all and any theoretical problems of anthropology (Sárkány 1979; 1984-85)] primarily by Balázs Borsos, one of the guest editors of this volume, who also contributed to the appearance of ecological anthropology -in the sense it is understood in the English speaking world -at the universities in Hungary. 1 At the same time, ecological issues, the relations between the natural environment and human culture raised the interest of many Hungarian research scientists, and there are problem areas (for instance flood plain management, ecovillages, ethnobotany), -even though no schools of thought were inspired by themwhich were and are subject to a broad scale discussion. For all these reasons, in the following a restriction on the expounding of a mere outline should be exercised not only due to limited scope herein, but also as a result of the fragmentary nature of the available information, when taking account of the research practices of environmental issues in Hungarian ethnography and border areas without claiming completeness.Just as in the international arena, the methodology called cultural ecology by Steward was the trigger opening up research dealing with the connections of natural environment and culture in the Hungarian landscape. The professor in Debrecen, who has always been very responsive to the anthropology of the English speaking countries, Béla Gunda set off in several of his articles in the wake of Steward. However, while natural environment was in the focus when he studied ancient crops (Gunda 1983), in other works, such as Nomads providing services (1981) or the 'cultural ecology' of an implement, the rake (1992) the choice of the title is more of a catch phrase. As Mihály Sárkány put it: 'Béla Gunda suggested an application of the cultural ecology concept in which you can not really follow him.' (Sárkány 1997:430-431). However, the impact exerted by Steward still lingers on: Gyula Viga (1995) for instance investigated the landscape transforming 1 Ecological anthropology was introduced as an independent subject both in basic training programmes and master courses (Budapest, Miskolc), as well as in doctoral schools (Budapest, Szeged)