Call for Papers

Indigenous languages and cultures in the time(s) of change

Põlidsõq keeleq ja kultuuriq muutuisi aol

Põliskeeled ja -kultuurid muutuste ajal

Võru Institute Autumn Conference in Võru

31 October 2025

The acceleration of global changes in the world raises questions of how indigenous languages and cultures will fare in an increasingly unpredictable world. Factors such as cultural globalization, the assimilative pressure of national education systems, the loss of a viable living environment, migration, and urbanization have been impacting these communities for a long time. Now, these are compounded by a general sense of uncertainty and the effects of ongoing crises.

We are looking forward to presentations that focus on changes within the communities of the Finnic peoples, the broader Uralic language family, and the indigenous languages of Europe. The views of researchers from various fields on the topic are welcome. We will discuss how indigenous languages and cultures can maintain their identity and values through adaptation, how technology can be harnessed to support smaller languages and cultures, and more. In addition to the contemporary viewpoints on languages and cultures, we also welcome historical perspectives on how various peoples have fared during times of major changes. Presentations on the changes of South Estonian languages and cultures are highly anticipated.

A plenary presentation will be held by Piia Post, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Tartu.

Registration and further organizational information

The conference will take place at the Võru Institute (Tartu Street 48, Võru) and will begin at 11:30 a.m. Both presenters and listeners are required to register here.

The working languages of the conference are Estonian, Võro, and English. Interpretation will be provided if someone wishes to give a presentation in Finnish or Latvian. Each presentation will be 20 minutes long, followed by a 10-minute discussion.

The deadline for registering as a presenter is 15 September 2025. When registering, please provide a preliminary title of your presentation (this can be changed later). Presenters are expected to submit an abstract in one of the working languages of the conference by 15 October 2025.

Listeners must register by 27 October 2025.

There is no participation fee. Coffee breaks will be provided.Lunch can be enjoyed at various restaurants in Võru (e.g., Namm Resto, Katariina kohvik, Jaagumäe toidukeskus, Mõisa Ait etc.).The conference schedule is arranged to allow participants from Tallinn to arrive on the morning bus and return with the evening one.Participants are responsible for arranging accommodation in Võru, if needed.

For all inquiries, please contact:
Võru Institute, Tartu St 48, 65609 Võru
Email: wi@wi.ee
Phone: (+372) 5621 3174 (Evar Saar, Researcher in Onomastics)

 

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