Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the Baltic region and Europe as a whole underwent fundamental socio-economic and political transformations: the collapse of empires and the rise of new nation-states, the Industrial Revolution, and the modernization and reconfiguration of social lifestyles. These processes stimulated the growth of national consciousness; consequently, traditional folk culture, daily life, social practices, and the materiality of domestic possessions became codified into new, often intentionally ideologized canons—forming key cornerstones in constructing national identity narratives.
Contemporary scholarship increasingly recognizes the need to re-evaluate these simplified, occasionally idealized conceptions of the past. As opportunities for ethnographic fieldwork on traditional ways of life gradually diminish, scholarly attention naturally shifts toward accumulated heritage: museum collections, archival records, photographs, and folklore transcriptions, all of which call for fresh, critical analysis.
Conference details and submissions
The conference will be held in person on 2–3 February 2027 at the Conference Hall of Bonaventura Manor, Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia, Bonaventuras iela 10, Riga.
Submission deadline: 30 November 2026.
Submissions: pasts@lebm.gov.lv; santa.sleiksa@lebm.gov.lv
Presentation Length: 20 minutes + 10 minutes for Q&A
Working Languages: Latvian and English
Submission requirements
Please submit your proposal including:
- Paper title
- Author’s full name, academic degree, institutional affiliation, and position
- Contact details (phone number, email address)
- Abstract (up to 250 words) and 3–5 keywords
Further information regarding the conference program and organizational details will follow.