A debate which does not aim at western hegemony in the theoretical field but encourages the subdued voices to express themselves on priorities and possibilities is very much needed. The participants will be provided with technical aids which they can take to their working environment for further experimentation and application. The aim is to raise the level of professionality in everyday folklore work. The need to create systematic folklore work has been noticed in the Third World countries building their own cultural capital. More recently, the East and Central European former socialist states have shown great interest in participating in internationally oriented training courses of the West.
All parties can learn from each other.
Both European and Asian or African countries have many lessons to give in the handling of folklore materials as an element in the definition of cultural, social, ethnic or national identity. During the past two decades the U.S.A. has introduced a concept of full-time folklorists in the service of local or state interests. Our course plans to review the global situation with the help of participants. Another resource are the more personal contacts between scholars which the course will bring about. Such contacts have more than once led to bilateral or multilateral folklore projects which reach beyond the often narrow confines of local or even national folklore work.