Daugavpils University
Daugavpils Region Council
Daugavpils City Council
International interdisciplinary congress
THE LIVING LIFE
Aspazija – Rainis – 150
4 – 5 November 2015
Daugavpils
The year of 2015 is marked in Latvia and Europe by the 150th anniversary of the
distinguished writers – Aspazija and Rainis. The couple has affected the
philosophical and aesthetical views, understanding of the relations of an
individual and society, the attitude towards the socio-political processes,
education, environment, and art both in their own time and for the following
generations.
Aspazija and Rainis have been called the prophets of their age, the corner stones
of Latvian literature, geniuses, inspirers, and rejuvenators. Their names and
works have been perpetuated in monuments, street names, memorial tablets,
museums, paintings, music pieces that are respected but are not recalled very
often, do not attract genuine attention, interest, and willingness for absorption.
The anniversary of both writers is an appropriate occasion for the
reconsideration of the intellectual legacy of Aspazija and Rainis in the context of
the 21st century processes. Daugavpils University, by organizing the conference
dedicated to Rainis and Aspazija, invites the representatives of the humanities as
well as researchers and professionals in other spheres to participate in the
discussion of the ideas, creative work, and personalities of Aspazija and Rainis in
perspectives of various branches of scholarship.
The following topics are set forth for the discussion at the
conference
The aesthetic dimension of the personalities and
writing of Aspazija and Rainis
Aspazija and Rainis as the symbols of Latvian culture. World
culture phenomena in the works by Aspazija and Rainis.
Typology of the ideas and oeuvre of Aspazija and Rainis in the
literature of other nations. Rainis’ writing in the context of
various cultures: Rainis and Switzerland, Rainis and Russia,
Rainis and the Jewish text, etc. The global context of Aspazija’s
personality and writing in the perspective of feminist theories.
Periphery and diaspora in Aspazija and Rainis’
phenomenology. The comparative discourse in the
characteristics of the literary legacy of the writers. Aspazija
and Rainis in the framework of the world literary processes. Museum collections
(diaries, correspondence, notes, etc.) as a tool for understanding the specific
features of the writers. The artistry of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ poetry and drama:
motifs, symbols, poetic devices, interaction of the content and form,
intertextuality, compositional unity and polyphony. Features of philosophical
drama/drama of ideas. Resonance of topical philosophical ideas of the epoch in
Aspazija’s and Rainis’ writing. The poetic specificity of Rainis’ translations. The
impact of Aspazija and Rainis on the 20th-21st century literature processes.
Aspazija and Rainis – phenomenology of childhood
Childhood as a segment of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ writing: childhood semiotic,
child’s image, and the space-time of childhood. Aspazija’s and Rainis’ lineage and
family background. The childhood memories of the writers, their personality
formation experience.
Children’s book editions by Aspazija and Rainis for children at different stages of
history – principles of text selection, illustrations, resonance in culture and
society. Comparison of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ childhood events in biographical
sources and works (memoirs, childhood sketches, diaries, letters, museum
collections), interpretation of this issue in various editions about Aspazija and
Rainis.
Aspazija and Rainis: historical, environmental, and regional
aspects
The impact of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ public action and political views on their
writing. The role and significance of the writers in history processes in Latvia.
Rainis as an inspirer of the Jaunā strāva (New current) movement, his activities
in journalism and law. Rainis as a minister of education (19.12.192623.01.1928), his contribution to the sphere of culture education in Latvia,
support for culture activities. Rainis as a member of Satversme and I, II, III
Saeima, his contribution to the development of Latvia and Latgale. Involvement
of Rainis and Aspazija in activities in Latgale: cooperation with Latgalian press
periodicals, theatre, etc. Perpetuation of Rainis’ contribution in Latgale
(Latgalian section of Rainis Club, street names, etc.). Places connected with
Aspazija and Rainis’ life in Latvia and abroad, memorial places in the landscape
of Latvia. Eco-critical approach in the analysis of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ works.
Social and psychological contexts in the life course of Aspazija and
Rainis
Aspazija as the promoter of women’s rights issues in Latvia.
Representation of social issues in Aspazija’s and Rainis’
journalism, their investigation in the aspect of feminist and
gender studies. The everyday life of the writers. The marital
relation model of the couple, their communication with the
surrounding people and community, interest in psychology.
Psychoanalytical approach in the study of the creative process of
the writers’ work.
Sustainability in Rainis’ tradition: wisdom drawn from the
tradition and wisdom for the development of the tradition
Rainis’ philosophy of development in the perspective of modern science
philosophy and sustainable development. Rainis’ call for reaching higher goals
and its compatibility with the strategic application of social relays and action
theory for the fulfilment of sustainable development goals. What can we learn
from Rainis’ tradition, striving to implement the idea of sustainable
development?
Linguistic aspects in Aspazija’s and Rainis’ writing
The linguistic, semantic, and stylistic diversity in texts by Aspazija and Rainis.
The linguistic innovations made by the writers and their contribution to the
development of translation studies. The language of translations made by Rainis.
Strategies of person name formation. Rainis’ tradition of linguistic findings in the
contemporary Latvian language.
Aspazija and Rainis in music
Interaction of music and lyrics in vocal compositions with texts by Aspazija and
Rainis, integration of verbal text as a constant artefact in a musical piece. Priority
of lyrics or music in vocal compositions with texts by Aspazija and Rainis.
Specificity of interpretation of verbal text related to the interrelations of three
major components of word – phonetics, structure, and semantics – in a musical
piece. Peculiarities of the interaction of verbal text by Aspazija and Rainis and
music in Latvian vocal music. Musical priorities of the writers, the role of their
literary legacy in Latvian choral music and Song and Dance Festival tradition.
Aspazija and Rainis in theatre and cinema
Staging of plays by Aspazija and Rainis in professional and amateur theatre, their
influence on theatre life in Latvia, peculiarities of stage design, costumes at
different time periods, symbiosis of the masterful play of actors and staging
director’s interpretation, use of symbols, etc. Staging popularity periods and
reasons for that in Latvia and abroad, chronicles of stagings. Peculiarities of
ballet and dance stagings. The continuity of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ ideas in the
theatre of today and the impact of present-day theatre stylistics on the drama
interpretations of both playwrights. The significance of theatre in the lives of
both writers, the impact of stagings on their personality and creative work.
Phenomena of Aspazija and Rainis in Latvian cinema.
Aspazija and Rainis in art
The artistic specificity of portraits of Aspazija and Rainis,
depictions of both writers in fine arts, sculpture; the semiotic
and ideological synergy of art works. Photographic evidence of
Aspazija and Rainis. Rainis as the director of the Art Department
of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Latvia (1919).
Illustrations to book editions of Aspazija’s and Rainis’ works, the
semantics of their imagery and colours, interaction with poetry
and drama texts. The writers and fashion.
See you in Daugavpils!
Important dates of the congress organization
2 February – 7 September 2015 – paper proposals to be sent by the
participants to the congress organization committee.
7 September 2015 – deadline for paper proposals; the proposals will be
considered as to their compliance with the suggested topics of the work groups
of the congress by the congress research committee on the basis of the paper
abstracts.
15 September 2015 – notification as to the paper acceptance of the congress
participants by e-mail.
30 November 2015 – deadline for submitting papers based on the
presentations at the congress to the congress organizers (for publications
included in EBSCO data base). The editors hold the right to reject papers not
complying with the requirements set for the paper design. Papers will be
reviewed by anonymous reviewers.
The congress research committee announces an opportunity of exempting
some congress participants from participation fees. These participants will
be agreed on by the congress research committee on the basis of submitted
paper abstracts according to the criteria of innovativeness and conceptuality of
the suggested topic. The authors of these proposals will be invited to present
their research in the plenary session and exempted from participation fee.
Congress working languages: Latvian, English, Russian.
Participation fee (including the publication of the paper) – 40 EUR, to be paid
upon registration or to the congress account by 4 November 2015. The transfer
specifications:
Daugavpils Universitāte
VAT reg. No.: LV90000065985
Adress: Vienības iela 13, Daugavpils, LV-5400
Bank: Valsts Kase
Code: TRELLV22
Account No.: LV15TREL9150210000000
Requested indication to be added: structure: 01038 Participation fee
for the congress “Aspazija – Rainis – 150".
Congress contact information:
Daugavpils Universitāte
Vienības iela 13, Daugavpils, LV-5401
Phone: +371 65424238; fax: +371 65422611
e-mail: rainis.aspazija@inbox.lv
Congress participation proposal
LIVING LIFE
Aspazija – Rainis – 150
4-5 November 2015
Daugavpils
First name, last name ...................................................................................................................
Research degree ..................................................................................................................
Work / study place, position ......................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
Address ...........................................................................................................................................
Phone ......................
E-mail ................................................................................................
TITLE OF THE PAPER ....................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
Title of the preferred working group (according to the call for papers
description)
............................................................................................................................................................
Abstract (to 500 characters) .....................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
Please send your proposal form till 7 September 2015 to the congress
organization committee:
Daugavpils Universitāte
Vienības iela 13, Daugavpilī, LV-5401
Phone: +371 65424238; fax: +371 65422611
e-mail: rainis.aspazija@inbox.lv