In 2019 the 9th International Conference of Young Folklorists (Ir)relevance of Classical Folkloristics in 21st Century invites folklore students and young scholars to Vilnius (Lithuania). This conference is an international academic event, which annually brings together advanced students and researchers from different countries to come to Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, and gives them an opportunity to present their research to an international audience. The conference aims at fostering academic communication, collaboration, and research in the field of folklore. Especially this year, when the conference joins forces with Veritas Ethnologica, national conference of PhD students in the field of ethnology.   

 

The 9th International conference of Young Folklorists invites scholars to investigate the current stage of folkloristics. Although researchers have raised this issue for several decades already, it is still relevant. Different local tendencies or research traditions enrich and widen the scope of the discipline. We do not question the necessity of folkloristics and its research methods in the 21st century, however constant emphasizing of interdisciplinarity and marginalities leaves one pondering about the situation in the centre of the discipline. What is the focus of folkloristics today? Are classifications and genres still relevant, or are we already dealing with completely new cultural phenomena that do not necessarily comply with the classical approach? How can balance between classical and innovative research methods help us understand the human ways? What problems or destinations can we gain form interdisciplinary research practices? Is it possible already to define old and new schools in folklore research?  

 

Focusing on the situation in folkloristics, the topics for the conference include (but are not limited to) the following:

 

• current situation and possibilities for classical folklore studies in the 21st century;

• new methodologies vs. classical approaches;

• decline or development of classifications in contemporary scholarly context;

• life story as the 21st century’s genre; 

• interdisciplinarity as a “new discipline” ;

• digital challenges: methodological approaches related to choosing the internet as a place for field work;

• revitalizing concept of tradition;

• challenges of ethno-centred research approach;

• folkloristic approach as a way of understanding the contemporary society.

 

Practical information:

 

Abstract deadline: June 10, 2019. Abstracts should be max 250 words. Please include your name, affiliation, position and e-mail address. Submit by email to youngfolklorists2019@gmail.com

Regarding acceptance of your proposal, the organizers will inform you by June 17, 2019.

The working language of the conference is English. Each paper will be given 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for discussion.

The conference program will include sessions, workshops, keynote talks, guided tours, etc.

There is no registration fee, but we kindly ask the participants to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

 

Organizer: The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Partners: Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Archives of Latvian Folklore of Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia; Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania; Klaipėda University, Klaipėda, Lithuania; Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius, Lithuania.

 

Organizing Committee: Asta Skujytė-Razmienė (chair, ILLF), Laima Anglickienė (VMU), Aurimas Bačiulis (ILLF), Rimantas Balsys (KU), Lina Būgienė (ILLF), Vita Džekčioriūtė-Medeišienė (ILLF), Lina Leparskienė (ILLF), Digne Ūdre (ILFA, LFK) , Ülo Valk (UT), Šarūnė Valotkienė (ILLF). 

 

For further information, please contact us by e-mail youngfolklorists2019@gmail.com