A New Study in the History of Latvian Literature and Culture

A study on the history of 19th century Latvian literature performed by the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia was published in February 2022 by the prestigious academic publishing house "Peter Lang" in Berlin, Germany.

The book is published in the series "Cross-roads. Studies of Culture, Literary Theory, and History" in English titled "A New History of Latvian Literature: the Long Nineteenth Century". The aim of the study was to analyse and interpret 19th-century Latvian society and culture in relation to the emergence of modernity. Emphasising the need to approach the history of literature from an interdisciplinary perspective, the work has involved specialists from various disciplines. The book was compiled and edited by literary scholars Pauls Daija and Benedikts Kalnačs, with the participation of art historian Kristiāna Ābele (Art History Institute, Art Academy of Latvia), literary scholar Inguna Daukste-Silasproģe, historian Mārtiņš Mintaurs (National Library of Latvia), folklore researcher Ginta Pērle-Sīle and Germanist Aiga Šemeta (University of Latvia).

The research focuses on the role of the press in the formation of public space, the role of associations in the development of literature, the reading revolution in 19th-century society, the relationship between visual literacy and reading experience, the interaction between folklore and writing and the role of translations in shaping Latvian literary culture. Important points of contact between the formation of modern Latvian society and writing are also highlighted in the analysis of aspects of Biedermeier culture, the evaluation of the New-Latvian movement, the analysis of the expansion of the range of literary genres and the evaluation of the role of literary polemics.

The primary target audience of the study is specialists in the humanities and social sciences abroad and in Latvia, and it offers an opportunity to trace the dynamic development and interaction of Latvian writing and related cultural spheres during the long 19th century. The work has been carried out within the project "A New History of Latvian Literature: the Long 19th Century" (lzp-2020/2-0020) supported by the Latvian Council of Science and implemented in 2021.

Please, see https://www.peterlang.com/document/1175489.

Last time modified: 09.04.2022 06:42:05