CfP Ethnologia Fennica 1/2026: Words and Concepts
Words and concepts are at the core of all research, playing a powerful and essential role in defining research questions, analysing research materials, theorising, and interpreting the phenomena under study.
In methodologies of cultural studies such as ethnography and cultural analysis, words and concepts are tools to describe even difficult-to-express phenomena, such as affective experiences and tacit knowledge. To engage readers and address difficult issues, some researchers use more creative styles of writing, such as ethnographic fiction. Sometimes the words that best capture a phenomenon stem from theoretical literature, sometimes from the community being studied. Selecting the right concepts support analysis and introduce new perspectives on the research topic but choosing them can be problematic. Avoiding certain concepts and favouring others can be an ethical choice. Restricting the use of certain concepts may also be driven by political goals or funding policies.
In this call for papers, we invite researchers to reflect on conceptual work in their studies. We call for research and review articles that explore the choices and practices of finding, defining and using concepts. We are interested in different aspects of conceptual work, such as the creation of a new concept or the use of established concepts in analysis. Reflections on trendy, forgotten, or even forbidden concepts are encouraged. Are there particular words or concepts that have become problematic and need to be redefined? How do concepts travel to Ethnology from other fields? We are also interested in examples of how creative writing practices can enhance the research process or the communication of its results.
Please submit your article abstracts (300 words maximum) by June 23rd. After preliminary approval in August, the authors should submit their full article manuscripts by November 30th. The deadline for reviews, reports, and commentary texts is February 28th (2026). The issue will be published in June 2026.
