Controversies over the corpses, burials and gravesites of national heroes in post-socialist Eastern Europe and Russia–and what this means politically–were examined by the noted social scientist Katherine Verdery in three lectures the week of December 1, 1997.

“Post-Socialist Necrophilia, or the Political Lives of Dead Bodies,” was the general title of the lecture series, which was comprised of the following: “Corpses on the Move,” “The Restless Bones of Inochentgie Micu” and “Resignifying the Dust.” The series was cosponsored by the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America and Columbia University Press.