Hanna Kyllikki Snellman

SIEF2021 facilitates scholarly exchange and collaboration in the international community of anthropology, ethnology, folklore and neighboring disciplines, while respecting the richness of diverse academic traditions, promoting dialogue and encouraging interdisciplinary development. This congress will be one of the most global ones SIEF has ever had. The topic probing rebellion, resistance and conformity in a year of unprecedented political and social activism has brought together scholars from over 40 countries (including the Global South) to discuss how social and human sciences can engage with and study the dynamics of activism and power relations. SIEF2021 congress uniquely also includes Indigenous studies: a challenging, yet highly topical field taught in only two universities in Europe. By connecting scholars with the people they study (e.g. inviting S’mi activists to into a dialogue with scholars studying the S’mi) SIEF2021 addresses pressing research ethics and itself sets an example of good practices. It also serves as a forum for different professional worlds, bringing together researchers, lecturers, archivists, museum and heritage scholars as well as as activists, film-makers and artists. Our keynote speakers (from the S’mi in Finland, from Switzerland, Botswana, the US and the UK), the over 100 panels and 800 or so papers hailing from all corners of the Earth will discuss ‘Breaking the rules: Power, participation, transgression’ in a widely international and interdisciplinary perspective.