          Military actions in Europe, which politicians allow in words, but imagine poorly in practice, have brought about the very experience that European countries have sought to avoid over the past seventy years. The change in two or three generations has contributed to changes not only in the economy and politics, but also in culture. And now, before our eyes, due to the influence of the war, huge tectonic changes are rapidly taking place in the culture of European peoples. Humanitarian catastrophe, economic, political, environmental problems, on the one hand, and a crisis of mutual trust, xenophobia, aggression, etc. make their mark on cultural practices. The task of scholars now is to record these changes, compare them with previous similar situations, classify and archive possible experiences.

          This series of online seminars is conceived as a platform to try to do this. Within the framework of the seminars, a wide range of issues will be discussed: changes in discursive practices of politics, visual rhetoric, media, cultural attitudes, presumptions, stereotypes, problems of cultural exclusion, and the "lost generation." During the seminars, participants are invited not only to look at culture in war mode synchronically, but also to consider cultural experiences during previous global wars. At the same time, it is important to note not only the ways that cultural practices react to changes, but also their subsequent impact on other changes.

          The planned discussions are designed not to distract from the war, but on the contrary, to draw attention to the global tectonic shifts provoked by it, to its significance for the functioning of the global and individual worlds, to its horror, to individual and collective moral deformations, to a crisis of trust. The attack on Ukraine was essentially an attack on the European world; it made other countries also involved and responsible for what was happening, forcing them to define their positions. The participants, having no alibis [or non-alibis] for their existence, are deprived of the opportunity to speak from outside the war, to speak neutrally, which makes the planned discussions especially important phenomenologically.

          The planned discussion requires a greater degree of trust between the participants than before the war. Therefore, each online seminar should be preceded by a clear "disclosure of all one’s cards," the participating two or three speakers pronouncing their positions (giving several key theses and propositions provoking free discussion), which will be available to registered participants. Registration will be conducted in advance and access to participation will be provided on the basis of registration. In order to maintain trust among the participants of the seminars, the organizers have the right to refuse registration on the eve or disable the user during the seminar in case of violation of ethical standards or disrespectful attitude towards other participants. At the same time, different points of view expressed in a respectful manner are welcome.
           The structure of the seminar: presentations by two or three speakers (approximately 15-25 minutes each), followed by open discussion. The discursive field of open discussion is set by the speakers in provocative positions.

          Working languages: English, Ukrainian, Russian

Supporters:

Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum

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Eesti Kirjandusmuuseumi folkloristika osakond

Contacts:
Mare Kõiva: mare@folklore.ee
Sergey Troitskiy: sergei.troitskii@folklore.ee