We are pleased to announce the release of a new English-language publication by Prof. Ewa Nowicka-Rusek, titled The Altargana’s Roots Run Deep: Buryats between Russia, Mongolia, and China, published by Civitas University.

The book offers an in-depth anthropological study of the identity of the Buryat people, an ethnic group living across the borders of Russia, Mongolia, and China. Prof. Nowicka-Rusek explores the role of language, religion (Buddhism and shamanism), historical memory, and contemporary cultural practices—such as the Altargana Festival, Geseriada, and the Yord Games—in shaping and preserving Buryat national identity in the 21st century. The publication also addresses cross-border relations and the challenges facing the Buryat community in the context of globalization and regional state policies.

Prof. Ewa Nowicka-Rusek is a distinguished social anthropologist affiliated with Civitas University and the University of Warsaw. Her research focuses on national and ethnic minorities, migration, religiosity, and cultural identity. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Europe, Siberia, Mongolia, and China. Prof. Nowicka-Rusek is the author of numerous publications, including The Human World – The World of Culture and The Great Siberia of Small Nations. In 2007, she was awarded the title “Barrier-Free Human” in recognition of her contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion.

The book is available for free online under the Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The publication was co-funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as part of the “Excellent Science II – Support for Scientific Monographs” program, grant no. MONOG/SN/0020/2023/01.
The research presented in the book was financed by the National Science Centre under decision no. DRC-2011/03/B/HS6/01671.