The academic discipline of Comparative Folk Narrative Research is grounded in the efforts of the German brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. It enjoyed its heyday in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when northern European scholars compiled a fair number of monograph studies on single folktales. These scholars followed the theoretical assumption that folktales have a specific origin and that their dissemination is subject to complex processes of adaptation. The research method the adherents of the “Finnish school” applied is known as “Historic-geographic Method.” It implies a clearly defined series of steps, beginning with a comprehensive collection of versions of a given folktale via the specification of common and diverging elements to the identification of the tale’s ultimate origin. Whereas the final step of this approach is today regarded as obsolete, the comparative method remains highly relevant for the study of a given tale’s dissemination and the processes it underwent during its historical and geographical travels. Introduced by a short historical survey of the discipline, the workshop is devoted to exploring the discipline’s theoretical assumptions and methodological applications.

The AnonymClassic research colloquium will become ‘hybrid’ in the winter term of 2021/2022. Sessions are both in held in person and remotely accessible for students and guests; presentations by guests may be recorded.

Team, students and guests meet virtually every Thursday from 12:15 to 1:45 pm (CET).

The winter term promotes a number of international guest speakers in alternation with close reading sessions on manuscript editing and presentations of the team’s research topics. Discussion of methodological approaches and digital humanities issues remain key interests of the AnonymClassic research colloquium.

Colleagues, visiting scholars, and students (Arabic studies or related disciplines) are cordially invited to participate. We especially welcome researchers based elsewhere than Freie Universität Berlin to join us for any one (or more) sessions. Please just send a quick note anonymclassic@geschkult.fu-berlin.de for registration and to get the relevant information such as the link to our Cisco WebEx meeting.

About options of students’ credits and registration in blackboard, please see here and contact the relevant academic advisor of your study program. 

N.B: Presentations may be recorded, please notify our technical host ahead of sessions in case you object to your image and/or contributions to be archived.