| title: | Cultural Contacts in the Arctic Region |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF5057 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
5.9. Social Anthropology and Ethnology 6.4. Folklore |
| status: | completed |
| institution: | Estonian National Museum |
| head of project: | Art Leete |
| duration: | 01.01.2002 - 31.12.2005 |
| description: | With this grant, a group of researchers in the research areas of ethnology and folkloristics examine the peoples (e.g. Nenets, Khanties, Mansis, Komis, Russians) who inhabit the historical area of cultural contacts - North-European part of Russia and Western Siberia. This group, then, has covered all the main ethinic groups of the region. Relations between the above-mentioned ethnic groups in the region have always been extremely interesting and complicated. Conflicts between the small ethnic groups in the northern region on the one hand and Komis and Russians on the other have lasted for centuries. At times, political authorities have supported the protection of small ethnic groups against their more powerful neighbours, and then encouraged the "civilisation" of hunters and reindeer herders. Within the 1990s, the international world of research has brought the issues of the arctic regions of Russia into sharp focus. This group of researchers aims to examine a diverse range of cultural contacts in the region. A special attention is paid to the issues of cultural contactcs in different ethnic groups on the micro-level. The group of researchers focus on the issues of reindeer herding, hunting, survival strategies of northern peoples, worldview, changes in Komi village culture. Personnel of the grant plan extensive fieldwork trips to the above regions, publication of research results, as well as creation and renewal of contacts with research centres dealing with arctic issues abroad (joint fieldwork trips, conferences). As a result of the project, an edition of the research papers of the grant personnel in cooperation with researchers from abroad will be published. Also, one masters thesis and one doctoral thesis will be defended.The main purpose of the grant is to provide a revised interpretations and novel approaches to the processes of cultural changes. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Art Leete | Estonian National Museum | senior researcher | |
| 2. | Liivo Niglas | University of Tartu | assistant | |