A Donation of Books
The library of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, ILFA, UL, has just received a remarkable gift — the folklore researchers Annikki Kaivola-Bregenhøj and Carsten Bregenhøj from Kerava in Finland have donated to Latvian folklorists and anyone interested in the field a collection of valuable scholarly publications. The Archives of Latvian Folklore wishes to express the most heartfelt gratitude to both our colleagues, as well as the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Finland and the Diplomatic Mail service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their help in transportation of the books to Latvia.
New Book: Mapping the History of Folklore Studies: Centers, Borderlands and Shared Spaces
At the end of April Cambridge Scholars Publishing released a collection of articles prepared by ILFA Mapping the History of Folklore Studies: Centers, Borderlands and Shared Spaces (ed. by Dace Bula and Sandis Laime). Articles are based on papers presented during the conference dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Archives of Latvian Folklore which was held in Riga in October 2014.
The collection of articles provides rich and diverse insights into the historical dynamics of folkloristic thought with its shifting geographies, shared spaces, centres and borderlands. By focusing on intellectual collaboration and sharing, the volume also reveals the limitations, barriers and boundaries inherent in scholarship and scholarly communities. Read more...
The First Sound Recordings of the Archives of Latvian Folklore
The First Sound Recordings of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia
In 1924, six years after the foundation of the Latvian State, the Archives of Latvian Folklore (ALF) were founded. The aim of this institution was "to collect, publish and study" Latvian folklore.
Although mostly concentrating on verbal traditions put into form of written texts, melodies were also included in the subject range. In April 1926 the first Edison phonograph was purchased. In September of the same year, two more phonographs were acquired, both Excelsior models manufactured in Cologne, Germany. Read more...
A study of conceptualisation of intangible culture heritage in law
In the series "Studia humanitarica" of the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of University of Latvia the scholarly monograph by Dr. art. Anita Vaivade Intangible Cultural Heritage in International and Latvian Law (Rīga: LU LFMI, 2016, 368 lpp.). The book published in Latvian has extended summaries in English and French.
"Intangible Cultural Heritage in International and Latvian Law is an original research that reaches into two branches of scholarship. It belongs to the studies of law, touching the history, philosophy, semiotics and language of law. At the same time the monograph also contributes to the theory of culture, as the subject chosen for it is the international cultural policy, more specifically UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The interdisciplinarity of the work is related to its purpose – to study the international and local practice of legal framework in the field of culture. The author of this work has succeeded in creating a truly integrated view, which is not just a superficial matching of two fields, but indeed a well-grounded and critical analysis of the interaction of culture and law."Read more...
Conference in Riga "Cultural Heritage Materials - University, Research and Folklore Archives in the 21st Century"
CULTURAL HERITAGE MATERIALS — UNIVERSITY, RESEARCH AND FOLKLORE ARCHIVES IN THE 21ST CENTURY
August 21—27, 2017 in Riga, Latvia
The International Council on Archives Section on University and Research Institution Archives (ICA-SUV) is pleased to announce that its 2017 Conference will be in Riga, Latvia, in August 21—27. The participants are 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 is being 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...
Research Seminar "Mission Possible" of Estonian and Latvian Folklorists
On December 14, 2016 a group of folklore researchers from Department of Folkloristics of the Estonian Literary Museum (Tartu, Estonia), will pay a visit to the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia. In a joint research seminar, "Mission Possible", both the Estonian and the Latvian folklorists will present their current research topics.Read more...
Professor Dong Xiaoping visited ALF
On 1st December Archives of Latvian Folklore received a guest from afar - a Chinese folklorist, Professor of Folkloristics, Director of Research Institute for Chinese Folk Culture, Dong Xiaoping, Ph.D. She is currently collaborating with our Estonian colleagues at Tartu, and wished to devote at least a day to getting acquainted with the history of Latvia and its folk culture. Her main scholarly interest is the functioning and research of folklore during the period of soviet rule, but it is not limited to it.
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Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett visited ALF
Dr. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett Professo
Conference "Towards Digital Folkloristics" concluded
From 14 to 16 September 2016 the Archives of Latvian Folklore of the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia held the scholarly conference Towards Digital Folkloristics. Research Perspectives. Archival Praxis. Ethical Challenge. This conference was devoted to the digital folkloristics — a field that has developed at a significantly fast pace during the recent years. With the information technology having become an integral part of our everyday life, folkloristics — the same as other fields of humanities, experience an interdisciplinary "digital turning point", allowing to diversify the field of research. In folklore archives and other culture heritage institutions use of information technology has developed much further than mere creation of digital copies and catalogues. Digital platforms, tools and methods aimed at collection, processing and study of folklore, as well as the ones facilitating communication with the users of folklore archives, have substantially influenced the environment of the folklore archives.
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TOWARDS DIGITAL FOLKLORISTICS: research perspectives • archival praxis • ethical challenges
In September 14–16, 2016, the conference “TOWARDS DIGITAL FOLKLORISTICS: research perspectives • archival praxis • ethical challenges” will take place in Riga, Latvia. The conference is devoted to the rapidly evolving field of digital folkloristics with a particular focus on tradition archives dealing with information technology.
The conference will bring together a range of scholars and folklore archivists, as well as community practitioners to launch a reflexive discussion about the disciplinary outcomes, challenges and perspectives of “the digital age”. The programme includes more than 30 papers to be presented by participants from 19 countries. A diverse range of issues on digital archiving and recent developments in folklore archives around Europe and beyond, as well as research topics concerning online communities, social networks and virtual participatory practices in regard to traditional culture will be explored.
On September 16, the meetings of the SIEF Working Group on Archives and the Network of Nordic and Baltic Tradition Archives will take place.
For program and further information, please, visit the conference website: http://lfk.lv/conference.
The conference stands as an interim conference of the SIEF Working Group on Archives. It is organized by the Archives of Latvian Folklore in cooperation with the SIEF WG on Archives and the Network of Nordic and Baltic Tradition archives. Supported by the Nordic Culture Point and the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Latvia.