The nineteenth International Saga Conference will be held on 3–8 August 2025 in Katowice and Kraków. It is one of the most important events in the world of Nordic studies. The conference will bring together 250 scientists from around the world. The main theme of this year’s conference, jointly organised by the University of Silesia in Katowice and the Jagiellonian University, will be “otherness”.
“Otherness” as the conference motto is not a coincidence. For the first time in the history of the entire cycle, the conference will be held in the Slavic region. In the Middle Ages, and it is this era that the conference centres around, Scandinavians perceived their southern neighbours as “the others” in the sense of “inferior” and “dangerous”. Although the image of the Slavs in the sagas is schematic and falls into a number of stereotypes, it is to a large extent an echo of actual political, economic and cultural contacts of the period. Just like today, “otherness” carries rather negative connotations. It was defined primarily by religious differences (e.g. Christian Scandinavians vs. pagan Slavs) as well as political conflicts. The relations between the Slavs and the Scandinavians in the Middle Ages will provide a convenient pretext for discussing many other examples and aspects of “otherness” and for attempting to assess its importance in the development of medieval Scandinavian literature.
Similarly to previous editions of the series, participants will have the opportunity to partake in discussions concerning highly advanced topics in regards to this area of studies. Importantly, the conference will serve as a chance for young scientists to meet with recognised authorities within the field. This week of intensive deliberations and discussions will certainly result in new collaborations, research projects, publications and, last but not least, new acquaintances.
The International Saga Conference is not just about meetings and discussions. It is also an opportunity to learn about the place of the deliberations, its history and culture. This time will be no different. The conference will be an excellent chance for researchers from around the world to learn about Polish and Upper Silesian history, culture, cuisine and tourist attractions. For the University of Silesia and the Nordic studies specialists working here, the conference is a great honour as well as a challenge.
Detailed information about the event in English is available at sagaconference2025.us.edu.pl.
