Locating physical anthropology and human remains’ agency: A case study from the early Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Postcolonial studies have extensively examined how colonial networks have shaped the past and present societal structures. While much attention has been given to European powers’ exploitation of overseas territories, this article contributes to the ongoing discussion of colonial entanglements within European settings by analysing Austria-Hungary’s occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1878–1918). This study investigates how Bosnia and Herzegovina was framed within Austria-Hungary’s narrative, particularly through the role of archaeological and anthropological sciences in shaping knowledge production. It examines the scientific and institutional networks that shaped Austrian perceptions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the activities of physical anthropologist Felix von Luschan and archaeologist Moriz Hoernes. Following their military service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, special emphasis is placed on the agency of these human remains and how their collection influenced both contemporary scientific discourse and the researchers’ later careers. By analysing the methods and motivations behind the excavations conducted, this article explores parallels between Austria-Hungary’s engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and more overtly colonial contexts while ultimately arguing that the scientific activities were more opportunistic than systematically colonial. Nevertheless, it highlights the need to decolonize European scientific histories and critically assess the ethical legacies of knowledge production shaped by imperial structures.
Source: History and Anthropology
Author: Constanze Schattke
Institutions: Natural History Museum Vienna, University of Vienna
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7149528869