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Why is the Bakhtin Circle still relevant, in our contemporary cultural situation as researchers, artists or interested readers? One answer could spring from the need to discuss essentialism in the theory of culture critically. Two main concepts of culture implied by Bakhtin's Simmelian epithet (Simmel 1997), above, are: first, one that we may call essentialist. This concept has ancient roots in the Western history of philosophy, but no longer feels comfortable; yet, we are still struggling with it. We also have Bakhtin's implied alternative, what may be termed a dialogical concept of culture.