A New Book in the FF Communications Series
The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters in the Folklore Fellows' Communications series has released its book No. 315, "Visions and Traditions. Knowledge Production and Tradition Archives". This volume contains 18 scholarly articles that in various ways discuss the political, methodological and ethical aspects of how tradition archives have been – and are – involved in the production of knowledge (see the contents). The book was prepared by international editorial team: Lauri Harvilahti (Finland), Audun Kjus (Norway), Clíona O'Carroll (Ireland), Susanne Österlund-Pötzsch (Finland), Fredrik Skott (Sweden) and Rita Treija (Latvia).
Among the authors, there is Sanita Reinsone, leading researcher of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia.
Read more...A New Project of Disciplinary History: Latvian Folkloristics (1945-1985)
With the funding of Latvian Council of Science, ILFA launches a two-year long research project on the disciplinary history of folkloristics after World War II. Following the long term research strategy of the Institute, it extends the previous successful research grant funded by the Latvian Council of Science – study dedicated to Latvian folkloristics in the interwar period. Reflecting on current disciplinary legacy, the project’s team simultaneously considers the development of Latvian post-war folkloristics both in the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic and within the Latvian exile community.
Through simultaneous and joint research of both historical directions, the project is designed to generate and disseminate novel insights into Latvian post-war folkloristics, based on a variety of methodological approaches. Read more...
Focus of the Year: Traditions and Power
Organized by the Archives of Latvian Folklore, the annual scientific conference commemorating the Father of Latvian Folksongs, Krišjānis Barons, was held on last two days of October. Critically celebrating the Centenary of Independent Republic of Latvia, the multidisciplinary conference was dedicated to relationships between traditions and power, with an emphasis of less-researched years of the Soviet occupation (1944-1990). The conference featured 20 presentations, including also a plenary lecture on "Traditionality and the Language of Ontological Insecurity" by sociologist Mārtiņš Kaprāns and a guest lecture from Estonian researcher Ave Goršič titled "Presented by the Fourth Estate: Folklore and Traditional Culture as a Tool for State and Ideology".
Lecture "Collection and dissemination: digital archival strategies"
Audun Kjus and Fredrik Skott will deliver a guest lecture entitled "Collection and dissemination: digital archival strategies" at the Archives of Latvian Folklore of the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (ILFA) at 3 pm on Tuesday, 16th october 2018.
Digital technology is opening new possibilities for tradition archives, both for disseminating old materials and for collecting new documentation. Fredrik Skott and Audun Kjus have been leading the development projects www.sprakochfolkminnen.se/sagenkartan, matkult.se and minner.no. They will share experiences and insights from these projects (both success and failure) and discuss pros and cons of different digitalisation strategies.
Read more...Reflecting on Disciplinary Ethics in Folkloristics
The International Conference of Young Folklorists titled "Reflecting on Disciplinary Ethics in Folkloristics" will take place in Riga (National Library of Latvia), September 19-21, 2018. The 2018 conference is the 8th of its kind. Previous ones have been held in Estonia or Lithuania. This is the first time when this event that aims to foster academic collaboration and communication in the field of folkloristics, inviting students, recently graduated scholars, and anyone who considers themselves to be a young folklorist to present their research, and it will all happen in Riga, Latvia. The topic of the 2018 conference invited contributions to address the questions of ethics in folkloristics.
Read more...Journal "Letonica": on Tradition Archives and More
In June 2018, the 36th issue of the interdisciplinary scholarly journal "Letonica" was published. This peer-reviewed journal is indexed in "Scopus", ERIH PLUS and EBSCO, and its contents are available online.
A year ago, the International Council on Archives’ Section on University and Research Institution Archives (ICA-SUV) held its annual conference in Riga. The conference, "Cultural Heritage Materials–University, Research and Folklore Archives in the 21st Century", was organized in cooperation with the National Archives of Latvia and the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia. Its main focus was on the folklore archives and archival methodology regarding intangible cultural heritage. One of the key topics of the methodological and intellectual debate was the new standardization in archives, the Records in Contexts conceptual model.
Read more...IV World Congress of Latvian Scientists
On June 18-20 the IV World Congress of Latvian Scientists will take place at the National Library of Latvia. Congress will bring together scientists from Latvia and of Latvian origin, their friends and strategic partners from around the world to propose solutions for the development of Latvia and to promote long-term cooperation.
During the Congress, folklore researchers from the Archives of Latvian Folklore (ALF) and editors of the Digital Archives garamantas.lv will be pleased to meet you at the Archives’ reading room (located on the 5th floor of the National Library of Latvia building (in Riga, Mūkusalas ielā 3)) for short lectures (in Latvian) and excursions (both Latvian and English) introducing to the intangible cultural heritage.
Read more...Latvian Folkloristics in the Interwar Period
The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters in the FF Communications series has released a collective monograph on the history of Latvian folklore studies. Latvian Folkloristics in the Interwar Period is a contribution by Latvian scholars to the current reflexive trend of folklore studies toward an intense focus on the discipline’s past. It also joins the recent efforts to broaden the geographical scope of folklore history by concentrating on internationally less represented research traditions.
The interwar period in Latvia, as in most European countries, was a formative era during which the patriotic duty of collecting and publishing folklore was transformed into a full-fledged, institutionalised academic discipline. The Archives of Latvian Folklore was established; the University of Latvia began offering courses in folkloristics and ethnography; and Latvian folklorists sought a place in the networks of international cooperation flourishing in Europe at that time. By offering a broad perspective on Latvian interwar folkloristics, this book covers relevant national and international contexts of folklore research, dominant research paradigms and key personalities in the field.
Call for Papers: The 8th Conference of Young Folklorists
Information about conference: http://en.lfk.lv/yofo2018
Are there situations when personal engagement can get in the way of truthful reporting? To whom the folklorist should be responsible more – the scholarly truth or the informant? What are the researchers’ responsibilities to those being studied? Are there any fields of research too sensitive and ethically too difficult to be addressed at all? What are the principles of ethically correct work with archived material and its representation in the digital tradition archives? What are the new ethical challenges introduced by the Digital Age? How the research is going to affect the lives of informants and should such influence be exerted by the results of the research? Can researchers have too much empathy? Some questions regarding the ethics in folkloristics might never be answered, but nevertheless: with this conference we would like the young folklorists to join the international debate. Read more...
Happy Holidays!
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018!
Dainis Rožkalns’ illustration for Beatrise Reidzāne’s forthcoming monograph "The Image of the Wolf in "Latvju dainas""
Seminar for researchers of Latvian Roma
On 24 October at 10 am a seminar for researchers of Latvian Roma will take place at the Conference Centre of the National Library of Latvia (Riga, Mūkusalas street 3, room 078), organized by the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia. It will be the first time in the history of Latvia when fifteen researchers from Latvia, Estonia, Sweden and Great Britain will come together to share their research in the fields of history, folkloristics, ethnomusicology, sociology, anthropology, pedagogy and psychology. The aim of the seminar is to inform society about research on Latvian Roma, to increase the visibility of the research of Roma, and to contribute to communication and collaboration between researchers.
Read more...The Poetics of Getting Lost in Legends, Stories and Conversations
The series of publications "Studia humanitarica" by the University of Latvia Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art has just published another valuable addition the scholarly monograph by Dr. philol. Sanita Reinsone "Apmaldīšanās poētika teikās, stāstos un sarunās" (The Poetics of Getting Lost in Legends, Stories and Conversations) Rīga: LU LFMI, 2017, 248 lpp.). The book is based on the dissertation defended by the author in 2012 at the University of Latvia. The book was prepared and published within the framework of the budget sub-programme No. 05.04.00 "Krišjāņa Barona Dainu skapis" (The Cabinet of Folksongs of Krišjānis Barons) of the Ministry of Education and science of the Republic of Latvia and with the support of State Culture Capital Foundation. Read more...
International Conference on Archives in Riga
The International Council on Archives Section on University and Research Institution Archives (ICA-SUV) is holding its 2017 Conference, "Cultural Heritage Materials–University, Research and Folklore Archives in the 21st Century" in Riga, the National Library of Latvia, from August 21—25. The participants have been invited to explore the archival practices in universities and research archives and those in folklore archives where more intensive collection management, access, and use practices have been critical. The conference was organized by the ICA-SUV in collaboration with the National Archives of Latvia and the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia.
Read more...
The music of the Latvian Gypsies (Roma people)
The series of publications "Studia humanitarica" by the University of Latvia Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art has just received a valuable addition the scholarly monograph by Dr. art. Ieva Tihovska "Īsta čigānu mūzika: Autentiskums un etniskums Latvijas čigānu (romu) mūzikā" (Real Gypsy music: Authenticity and ethnicity in the music of the Latvian Gypsies (Roma people); Rīga: LU LFMI, 2017, 248 lpp.). The book is based on the dissertation defended by the author in 2014 at the Academy of Music named after Jāzeps Vītols. The book was prepared and published within the framework of the budget sub-programme No. 05.04.00 "Krišjāņa Barona Dainu skapis" (The Cabinet of Folksongs of Krišjānis Barons) of the Ministry of Education and science of the Republic of Latvia and with the support of State Culture Capital Foundation. Read more...
Visit to the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore
On 22nd and 23rd May, 2017 representatives of the Archives of Latvian Folklore and Estonian Folklore Archives paid a visit to the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore (Lietuvių literatūros ir tautosakos institutas) in Vilnius.
The seminars and the discussions intended to promote development of joint initiatives, stimulate regional co-operation, exchange of information and form wide collaborative networks between the tradition archives of the Baltic sea region are organised already for the second year with the support of the Nordic and Baltic mobility programme "Culture". Read more...
