Anya Bernstein
Papers
1
Total Citations
36
H-Index
1
About
Anya Bernstein is a leading anthropologist whose work explores the intersections of science, technology, religion, and politics, with a particular focus on Russia and the post-Soviet world. Her research examines how visions of the future—from cryonics to digital resurrection—shape contemporary understandings of life, death, and the human. In her widely cited paper, “Freeze, die, come to life: The many paths to immortality in post-Soviet Russia” (2015, 36 citations), Bernstein provides a groundbreaking ethnographic account of the Russian transhumanist movement. She reveals how competing practices of immortality, such as cryonic preservation and plans for robotic “consciousness transfer,” generate profound ontological debates about the body, personhood, and the very meaning of being human. This work, along with her broader scholarship, has established her as a key voice in the anthropology of science and the study of futuristic technologies. Bernstein’s contributions illuminate how cultural and political contexts shape technological dreams, making her research essential for students and scholars interested in the social life of emerging technologies.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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