ACTIVITIES

In Nordic and Baltic countries, life writing studies is not a separate field of degree study nor is it offered on the level of minor. At the same time, it is a well-established
and internationally relevant field of research with high Nordic and Baltic visibility. In participating institutions, life writing studies and memory studies are included in
the curriculum to a limited degree (University of Tartu, Turku University, Uppsala University, University of Iceland) or not included at all (University of Latvia, Liepaja University, University of Vilnius). Partner institutions include both university departments with some previous teaching experience in the field (life writing studies at University of Tartu
and University of Turku, creative and poetic ethnography at Uppsala University, working with biographical microhistorical sources at the University of Iceland),
institutions with interest in the field but no previous teaching experience (University of Vilnius, Liepaja University) and research institutes with outstanding competencies
in the field (Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia and The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore) that have not as yet been integrated
into teaching.

INTENSIVE COURSES

The courses offer a possibility to present life writing studies as a vibrant and diverse field of study in the Nordic and Baltic countries. They introduce a variety of
disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches and engagement with a high number of different sources and materials. Building on previous contacts and cooperation,
based on current research in the field and taught by a team of internationally renowned Nordic and Baltic scholars in the field, the courses provide insights into
current and most topical research foci, data and source collection methods and systematization and methodological developments in the field of life writing studies
and memory studies.

Pooling the competencies of the project partners makes possible to offer courses that a) support gaining familiarity with Nordic and Baltic life writing and life writing
research and collection that would be difficult to achieve by any course offered by partner institutions or elsewhere in Nordic and Baltic countries b) introduce a
wide range of current methods and approaches to life writing, employed in different disciplinary contexts and demonstrates the ways in which they come together to
form the interdisciplinary field of life writing studies and c) offer the possibility to apply different methods and approaches through a variety of practical tasks, among
them novel digital methods (digital archiving and date processing) and different creative approaches (poetic ethnography, creative life writing) that the participants
can practice during the course.

THE NETWORK

The network brings together a representative range of Nordic and Baltic institutions with varied disciplinary affiliations and competencies in life writing and memory
studies. Participating institutions have been chosen according to the following criteria a) previous experience of teaching life writing and memory studies related courses,
also in interdisciplinary settings b) strong research competencies that have high application potential in teaching life writing and memory studies but have not as yet
been put into practice c) teaching and research competencies concerning novel approaches and teaching methods that have great potential in diversifying and
enriching teaching in the field and in the humanities in general. Partner institutions include university departments with some previous teaching experience in the
field (University of Tartu, University of Uppsala, University of Turku), those with interest in but no previous inclusion of the field (University of Liepaja, University
of Vilnius, Kaunas Faculty) and research institutes (Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia; The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore) with
outstanding competencies that have not as yet been integrated into teaching. The network includes scholars, educators and archivists from the disciplines of history
and cultural history, ethnology, literary studies, folklore studies, and creative writing. Their engagements with the field extend beyond disciplinary scope, exemplifying the
trans- and interdisciplinary nature of the field in a variety of ways (e.g., teaming up to teach interdisciplinary courses, developing and putting into practice new research
and collection methods and applying new technologies).

The purpose of the network is advancing the teaching of interdisciplinary life writing studies between partner institutions and in Nordic and Baltic higher education.
Network activities are targeted toward

1) sharing teaching experience and best practices from varied disciplinary settings as well as on interdisciplinary level

2) supporting the integration of current research in the field into teaching

3) supporting the application of novel research and teaching methods into teaching (e.g., digital archiving and analysis of life writing materials and biographical data and creative teaching methods such as creative life story writing and poetic ethnography).