Department of Literature

Department of Literature

The Department of Literature was established in 2013 through the merger of the Department of Literary History and the Department of Literary Theory. Its primary research focuses are in the subfields of Latvian literary history, literary theory, and comparative literature studies. The main strategic objective of the department is to provide a contemporary perspective on processes in Latvian literature and culture within both comparative and regional contexts, employing the latest theoretical approaches and interdisciplinary methodologies.

Main Research Directions

1. Latvian Literature in Regional and Global Contexts:
   The department explores Latvian literature as a regional literature (within the Baltic and Eastern European context) and as part of the broader global literary process. This research is conducted within comparative historical and interdisciplinary frameworks and often includes biographical studies of authors and archival research. Key areas of focus include:

   • Literature from the 16th to 18th centuries in comparison with German literature (Māra Grudule)

   • The 19th-century literary process and the emergence of realism (research group led by Benedikts Kalnačs)

   • The interaction between Latvian modernist texts and French culture (Simona Sofija Valke)

   • Literature produced outside Latvia during the interwar period within the USSR (Ilze Ļaksa-Timinska)

   • Soviet literature in the post-war stagnation period (Jānis Oga)

   • Literature of exile, diaspora, and post-diaspora (Inguna Daukste-Silasproģe and Elvis Friks)

   • The development of Latvian poetry (Ivars Šteinbergs)

   • Comparative studies of Latvian and Lithuanian literature in the context of contemporary cultural processes (Elīza Paula Graudiņa)

2. Theoretical and Methodological Foundations:
   This includes the evaluation of key theoretical and methodological frameworks, particularly in:

   • Feminist criticism and women’s writing (Zita Kārkla, Eva Eglāja-Kristsone)

   • Trauma studies (Artis Ostups)

Collaboration

Researchers of the department collaborate with various institutions in Latvia, such as literary museums, libraries, schools, and cultural centres, as well as with a wide range of international organizations throughout the Baltic region and globally. Notable partners include the Estonian Literary Museum, the Universities of Tartu and Tallinn, the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Literature Society, Södertörn University in Sweden, the Herder Institute in Germany, and Toronto Metropolitan University, among others.

Ongoing and Prospective Research Projects

Many researchers from the department are involved in the preparation of entries for the National Encyclopedia, the development of the database www.literatura.lv, and the ongoing work on the forthcoming Handbook of Latvian Literature (Brill, 2027).

Staff

The department includes scholars from different generations, who successfully combine academic research with teaching in Latvian higher education institutions such as the Art Academy of Latvia, the Latvian Academy of Culture, the University of Latvia, and Riga Technical University’s Liepāja Study Centre, among others. Many also engage in creative activities such as writing poetry and participating in editorial boards of literary and art journals.

Researchers of the Department of Literature have been involved in numerous long-term projects funded both nationally and internationally, as well as in short-term initiatives supported by various foundations and public organizations. These include the State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council’s Department of Culture, the Baltic-German University Liaison Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and others. The most significant long-term projects have received funding through competitive calls organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Council of Science, and the European Social Fund.