Bronisław Malinowski and his reception in Romania

The reception of Bronisław Malinowski’s works in Romanian culture presents a paradoxical situation. The article aims to analyse the forms of reception, application, and adaptation of the Polish anthropologist’s writings in Romania. The paper is divided into four sections. The first section outlines the beginnings of Malinowski’s academic career in England, during his friendship with James Frazer. The second focuses on his innovative contributions to world anthropology and the acknowledgement of functionalism as a recognised paradigm. The third section examines the reasons behind the scarcity of significant Romanian translations of Malinowski’s works, despite his widespread recognition within the Romanian scientific community, analysing the indirect reception of his ideas and the influence of secondary sources and intermediary scholars. The conclusions of the study are based on the paradoxical – though not unique – case of the Polish anthropologist and lead to a broader reflection on the role of academic translations in cultures that use lesser-known languages. By integrating bibliographic research, historical context, and the analysis of applied works, the paper demonstrates that Malinowski’s influence in Romania has been largely mediated through secondary literature, academic adaptations, and selective translations. This approach allows for a better understanding of the situation in which Malinowski’s legacy is acknowledged and applied in Romania, despite the limited availability of direct translations of his works.