Contemporary Hunters in an Archaic Context (Grisons, Switzerland): A Meta‐Modern Attempt at Reconciliation

ABSTRACT Looking back to the ongoing and fluid process of identity formation of the contemporary hunter in Europe (the ‘becoming’ of hunters), this study explores self‐chosen identities, motives and hunter–nature relations in a singularly archaic hunting context: the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. As a qualitative case study, this article investigates the becoming of hunters and their self‐perception within a context where social attitudes towards hunting and the appreciation of the natural world remain deeply rooted in tradition, while being pulled into modernity. Based on 10 semi‐structured interviews and ethnographic observation, the study examines how individuals make sense of hunting in relation to such broader cultural foundations as well as shifts. Our findings reveal a complex interaction between enduring modern and archaic hunting traditions, the influence of postmodern developments, and point to the emergence of what we call ‘metamodern’ oscillation of self‐realisation for the hunters. This metamodern perspective, particularly given its archaic context, offers a conceptually original angle, positioning hunting as a practice where self‐limitation, negotiation of identity and a reconsidered power structure between humans and nature play a key role. We submit that our case study of Grisons, where strong, even anachronistic traditions, coexist with contemporary trends including public scrutiny and shifting ethical standards, provides a particularly propitious context for the study of hunting subculture and hope that it will incite further exploration of metamodernism in similar or other contexts.