The paper presents results of an analysis of the status of social / cultural anthropology (ethnology) in post-soviet Russia. There are discussed three main questions. First, how and why this discipline reflects (or neglects) main anthropological theories of the last decades? Secondly, how and why its organizational forms (structures, journals, university education) hinder its development? And thirdly, whether anthropology is or can be used in contemporary Russia as a practically oriented branch of science? The author bases his conclusions upon his long term academic and university experience in Russia and abroad, and suggests his personal approach to understanding and developing the discipline which can be of interest in much broader context of contemporary Russian humanitarian sciences. The paper is richly illustrated.