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SUMMARY:Historical time\, primitive peoples and the abyss of race: concept
 ions of temporality in German anthropology and folklore studies (1850s–1
 930s) - Christof Dejung (Faculty of History\, Cambridge)
DTSTART:20141020T120000Z
DTEND:20141020T131500Z
UID:TALK54706@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Margaret Carlyle
DESCRIPTION:The first society for folklore studies in Germany was establis
 hed in 1890. The aim of the scholars who founded this society was to study
  the traditions and material culture of Germany's domestic rural populatio
 ns. It is less well known that the study of German folklore also had colon
 ial roots. After the mid-19th century German anthropologists examined both
  domestic and colonial societies within one field of analysis. They were b
 oth deemed superstitious\, unindustrialised and hence\, in scholars' eyes\
 , living in a 'primitive' stage of civilisation. How did scholars and scie
 ntific bodies justify devoting themselves to the study of civilisations as
  far apart as the agrarian German hinterland and colonial possessions? Why
  did the two research trajectories separate after the turn of the century 
 with the establishment of folklore studies as a scientific discipline? Wha
 t was the impact of evolutionist theories and racial ideas? And why did do
 mestic traditions become the foundation of national history\, while overse
 as civilisations remained in the position of 'peoples without history'? Th
 is paper will shed new light on such key topics as the role of temporality
  and progress in claims to territorial rule\, the significance of scientif
 ic knowledge for the self-conception of modern societies\, the establishme
 nt of middle class identity in relation to primitive cultures\, home and a
 broad\, and the rise of nationalism in the age of empire. It will also dis
 cuss the extent to which these notions shape our understanding of global s
 ocieties today.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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