Elphinstone Institute
Description
The Elphinstone Institute is a centre for the study of Ethnology, Folklore, and Ethnomusicology at the University of Aberdeen. Established in 1995 in celebration of the quincentenary of the university's founding, the Institute researches and promotes the culture of the North and North-East of Scotland in context.
The Institute is a centre for research and graduate study. Staff and students use ethnographic methodologies to explore ideas of identity and belonging, meaning and function, drawing on an exceptional heritage of traditional music, ballad and song, story, lore and language, alongside the dynamic creativity of those who live and work here today. The Institute is interested in how traditions and cultures are created, adapted, reinterpreted and renewed, to meet new and challenging circumstances, whether here or abroad.
A key part of the Institute’s remit is public engagement, co-producing knowledge and research in partnership with local organizations and individuals. These cooperative ventures can take the form of joint research projects and community initiatives, public events such as festivals, displays, and conferences, and participative workshops, all of which enrich the Institute’s academic work and increase public understanding of the importance of vernacular culture in society today.
The Institute’s monthly public lectures and ethnographic film series operate throughout the academic year and are open to all. With an exciting combination of cutting-edge research and excellent visual material, each lecture and film closes with questions and often lively discussion. The Institute also publishes a refereed series of scholarly publications, available from the Institute or from the University of Aberdeen’s online shop. The latest news can be found in the Institute's biannual newsletters.
Offers funding
No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.
Founding year
1995
Contact details
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
United Kingdom
On the map
Categorisation
Type
Project Tags
University affiliation(s)
University of Aberdeen
King's College
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
Partner Infrastructures
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Royal Anthropological Institute Of Great Britain
50 Fitzroy Street
50 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 5BT
United Kingdom
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University Of Aberdeen
The North Powis Gate
College Bounds
Aberdeen
AB24 3UG
United Kingdom
British Forum of Ethnomusicology
The British Forum for Ethnomusicology is an association formerly known as the International Council for Traditional Music (UK Chapter). As an Affiliate National Committee to the International Council … read more about British Forum of Ethnomusicology
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
United Kingdom
The interdisciplinary study of regional cultures and traditions is the key aim of the Society for Folk Life Studies. The Society is the only organisation in Britain that brings together curators, hist… read more about Society for Folk Life Studies
4 Lanark Road West
Currie
EH14 5ER
United Kingdom
Last modified:
2025-01-21 10:25:10