Katarina Leppänen’s seminar on the works of Aino Kallas, Hella Wuolijoki and Elin Wägner

On 28 March, professor Katarina Leppänen from the University of Gothenburg will give a lecture in English titled „The Soft Power of Cultural Diplomacy: Literature and Politics in the Lives and Works of Aino Kallas, Hella Wuolijoki, and Elin Wägner c. 1900–1950“.

Abstract

Aino Kallas (b. 1878), Hella Wuolijoki (b. 1886) and Elin Wägner (b. 1882) are today recognized authors in Finland, Estonia and Sweden and their contribution to the national literary histories is undeniable. During their lifetime, all three contributed to several of the political and social movements of the time, such as the socialist movements, nationalist independence movements and women’s movements, both nationally and internationally.

The political aspects are mentioned in previous research, but it has often been difficult to simultaneously highlight their prominent literary achievements and political goals. In this project, I will conduct parallel readings of the political and the literary, and the national and international. The aim is to understand the flow between the literary and the political as mutually enriching.

Theoretically, the project contributes to a research field that connects cultural studies with more political science-oriented disciplines where the concepts of cultural diplomacy, soft power and intercultural mediation are key concepts. By bringing together my previous individually focused studies, the result will provide a deeper understanding of the societal mechanisms that enabled, controlled, and limited the visibility of literary women as political actors.

Bio

Katarina Leppänen is Professor of Intellectual History at the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Her research focuses on transnational feminism in the mid-twentieth century, ecological feminism, social movements, nationalism and internationalism, and regionalism. She combines intellectual history and literary studies and has published on diverse topics such as women and political violence, literature and nationalism, and the trafficking of women and the League of Nations.

The seminar will take place at the Estonian Academy of Sciences (Kohtu 6, Tallinn) on 28 March at 15.00 and requires prior registration. We will gather in the Board Room on the ground floor. To participate, please notify Merlin Kirikal (merlinkirikal@gmail.com).