CONFERENCEThis section contains information about current conferences organised by the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia.
We invite scientists and researchers from various disciplines to participate in the University’s international scientific conference, to share the latest research and ideas, strengthen the scientific community, and foster new knowledge.
Sessions January-March 2025.
Registration is closed.
Conference duration: 15-16 May, 2025
Conference venue: remotely on the ZOOM platform.
The conference aims to explore the intricate relationship between conspiracy theories and spirituality, a phenomenon gaining momentum within Europe’s cultural and academic discourse. The focus is on understanding the genealogy of conspirituality, mapping its historical roots, and dissecting its socio-political implications in contemporary society.
Conference Key Themes:
- Historical Roots and Evolution: Examination of the origins of conspirituality in Western esoteric traditions, tracing its evolution into the modern-day amalgamation of conspiracy theories and New Age spirituality.
- Cultural and Political Dimensions: Exploration of how conspirituality acts as both a spiritual practice and a political instrument across various European contexts, highlighting local variations in narratives, practices, and rituals.
- Psychological and Social Functions: This section analyses conspirituality as a mechanism for individual and societal adaptation in times of crisis, including its role in providing a sense of control, community, and identity.
- Comparative Analyses: Cross-disciplinary perspectives on conspirituality, encouraging comparative studies in religious practices, conspiracy theory subcultures, and societal impacts.
The conference is organised by the "Genealogy of Conspirituality in 20th Century Latvia (GENOCON)" (lzp-2023/1-0142) project at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia.
More about the project.
Registration is closed.
Conference duration: 26-28 June, 2025
Conference venue: University of Latvia House of Science (Jelgavas iela 3, Rīga)
The conference continues the series of “Grammar and Corpora” conferences, which began in Prague, at Charles University, in 2005. Subsequently, G&C conferences have been held at various locations and universities: in Liblice (2007), Prague (2012), Warszaw (2014), Mannheim (2009, 2016), Paris (2018), Kraków (2020) and Ghent (2022). The 2025 “Grammar and Corpora” conference in Riga, at the University of Latvia, seeks to provide a forum for exchange of novel and creative ideas between researchers interested in studying various aspects of grammar and its interfaces, in the broadest sense, using different types of corpora and corpus-linguistic approaches, methods and techniques.
The conference is organized under the auspices of the Latvian Research Council’s project “Database of Latvian Morphemes and Derivational Models (DLMDM)” (No. lzp-2022/1-0013).
Conference duration: 27 July -1 August, 2025
Conference venue: University of Latvia
During the seminar researchers and experts from the field will discuss
- How can religious and values education sustain hope in the time of political, cultural, and ecological distress?
- How can religious education (RE) foster well-being and resilience in the world of uncertainties and constant crises?
- In the face of multiple challenges, how can RE contribute to enhancing dialogue and human flourishing?
Abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2025
Conference duration: 27 -29 August, 2025
Conference venue: University of Latvia (Jelgavas iela 1, Rīga)
The multidisciplinary conference KLAARA has become a platform for researchers particularly interested in easy language and accessible communication. At the conference, leading researchers and practitioners in the field meet and exchange their experience, thus strengthening scientific research on easy language and looking for new ways to achieve information accessibility for people with temporary or permanent difficulties understanding the standard forms of language.
For the first time, the KLAARA conference will take place in Riga, providing the Latvian audience with a unique opportunity to broaden their knowledge in the field of easy language.
Easy language studies develop in different directions around the world, and both practical and theoretical considerations should be taken into account. We welcome section papers on completed or in-progress research on various aspects of easy language and accessible communication: easy and plain languages, easy language and artificial intelligence, information accessibility and migration, easy language and media etc.
Abstract submission deadline: June 30, 2025
Conference duration: 9-10 October, 2025
Conference venue: Latvia, Riga
The conference welcomes everyone who is currently pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree at any university in the Baltic States or elsewhere to submit proposals on any of the following aspects of the Baltic countries: language and literature, history, folklore and culture, arts, film and music, modern technology and innovation in the Baltic societies; political and social developments in the Baltic region.
The working languages of the conference are Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and English.
Everyone is welcome to give their presentation in any language mentioned above and we encourage using the languages of the Baltic States. However the abstract and presentation slides should be in English.
Pieteikšanās ir slēgta.
Norises laiks: 2025. gada 31. oktobris
Norises vieta: Latvija, Rīga
Aktīva folkloras dokumentēšana Latvijā aizsākās pirmās nacionālās atmodas laikā 19. gadsimta otrajā pusē. Šajā laikā uzkrātie materiāli veidoja pamatu apjomīgiem publicēto tekstu korpusiem: Krišjāņa Barona sakārtotajām Latvju dainām (1894–1915), Anša Lerha-Puškaiša Latviešu tautas teikām un pasakām (1891–1903) un Andreja Jurjāna Latvju tautas mūzikas materiāliem (1894–1921). Institucionāli organizēta un sistemātiska folkloras vākšana sākās līdz ar Latviešu folkloras krātuves dibināšanu 1924. gadā, kas ļāva mērķtiecīgi dokumentēt, arhivēt un klasificēt vairākus miljonus folkloras tekstu.
Pusotra gadsimta laikā uzkrātais materiāls aptver ne tikai klasiskos folkloras žanrus, bet arī dažādu ikdienas prakšu aprakstus, tostarp rakstveidā un vizuālās reprezentācijās fiksētus notikumus. Šo vākumu tapšanu ir ietekmējuši dažādi faktori: vēsturiskie apstākļi, tai skaitā gan ideoloģija, gan arī aktuālās zinātniskās teorijas, finansējuma pieejamība, tehnoloģiskās iespējas, vācēju un pētnieku individuālās intereses, zināšanas, uzskati u. c. Līdzīgs, laika gaitā mainīgs rāmējums ir arī korpusu un to tapšanas procesu interpretācijai, tādējādi aktualizējot nepieciešamību regulāri pārskatīt vēsturisko folkloras tekstu korpusu veidošanās principus, tajā iesaistīto personu pieeju, motivāciju un veikuma kvalitāti gan vēsturiskā, gan arī mūsdienu perspektīvā. Tāpat aktualizējami jautājumi par koloniālisma un imperiālisma nospiedumiem tekstu korpusos, literāro un Dziesmu svētku tradīciju ietekmēm, norakstu problemātiku, krājēju un pētnieku savstarpējiem sakariem gan nacionālā, gan starptautiskā līmenī u. tml. Jaunas atziņas piedāvā arī digitālo tehnoloģiju izmantošana, kas 20. gadsimta beigās un 21. gadsimtā ir veicinājusi plašo folkloras krājumu digitalizēšanu, sniedzot iespējas analizēt lielapjoma datus un algoritmiski identificēt sakarības.
Ar folkloras krājumiem saprotot publicētus un nepublicētus tekstu korpusus, kas saistīti ar tradicionālo kultūru un dokumentē ikdienas dzīves norises, kā arī to digitālos analogus, gaidīsim referātus, kas balstīti to izpētē.