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Humble Theory and the Power of the Vernacular
25/09 – 26/09
@ University of Tartu Library (W. Struve 1, Tartu)
The Estonian Doctoral School for Humanities and Arts invites doctoral researchers and master’s students to participate as listeners, thinkers, and discussants in the international conference of young folklorists, which will take place at the University of Tartu Library (W. Struve 1, Tartu). The event is dedicated to new directions in folklore studies and ethnology, where the role of vernacular theories has grown significantly. The principles of humble theory were articulated by Dorothy Noyes in her influential monograph Humble Theory: Folklore’s Grasp on Social Life (2016). In it, she highlights everyday life and vernacular expressiveness in research, favoring these over abstract theoretical constructions that overlook the nuances of folklore, the uniqueness of performance contexts, individual creativity, and social meaning.
The conference will feature over 50 presentations. Keynote speakers are honorary doctor of the University of Tartu, Prof. Dorothy Noyes (Ohio State University), and Prof. Mariya Lesiv (Memorial University of Newfoundland).
The number of participants is limited. In the registration form, please briefly explain why you wish to participate. Also indicate whether you need accommodation in Tartu. The language of the conference is English.
Register HERE. The registration deadline is September 14, 2025.
In case of questions, please contact Lii Lang, lii.lang@ut.ee.
Estonian Doctoral School for Humanities and Arts.
