Studie se zabývá problematikou renesančních historiae naturalis, zejména potom vztahem, který v tomto žánru zaujímala empirie a tradiční vedení. Článek analyzuje rozdíly mezi historiae naturalis Starého světa (Gessner, Aldrovandi) a světa Nového (Oviedo, Hernández). Hlavním cílem textu je charakterizovat specifika těchto dvou typů "přírodní historie" a stejně tak ukázat jejich podobnosti a poukázat na "zdánlivé paradoxy". and The central theme of this study is the problematics of historiae naturalis in Renaissance, especially the relationship between empiricism and tradition in this genre. The paper analyses the differences between historiae naturalis of The Old World (Gessner, Aldrovandi) and historiae naturalis (these) of The New World (Oviedo, Hernández). The main goal is to characterize the specific forms of these two ways of natural history and, on the other hand, to show their similarities and point out the "seeming paradoxes".
Taking the example of the Basel carnival Fasnacht, the paper shows in what way ritual can maintain the impression of being traditional and unchanging, and yet be open to changes and innovations. As the basic conceptual framework, we use the notion of liminality, which Victor Turner identified as the creative moment of ritual. In the Fasnacht this liminal dimension appears in two degrees. The carnival as such represents a reflexive liminal counterpart to the standard social structure, yet it is itself also highly structured and bound by conservative traditional rules. As a reaction to this, there arises within the Fasnacht a "second-degree" liminality in the form of the so-called wild Fasnacht, which turns the official antistructural Fasnacht rules upside down once again, testing their validity. While the carnival structure offers a regulated opportunity for questioning everyday social behaviour, wild Fasnacht questions even this regulated manner of questioning as such, opening space for its reflection and modification. We use detailed examples to demonstrate how the subtle dialectics of structure and antistructure keeps the tradition of Basel's Fasnacht alive and allows it to evolve without destroying its aura of traditionality.
Based on ethnographic research, the article explores the position of saints in the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, focusing particularly on the relationship between Copts and their saints, and on the role the saints play in the Coptic understanding of their Church past. I demonstrate that Egyptian Orthodox Copts are encouraged to model their selves on narratives about their saints, and the saints' lives are turned into forma vitae, i.e., lives to be emulated. Further, I show how Coptic Orthodox saints can be considered key symbols, while their lives can be deemed key scenarios with suffering and persecution representing a root metaphor. The saints, thus, embody Coptic Orthodox values, which are socially accessible through ecclesiastical teachings on the appropriate Coptic Orthodox Self. In this way, Copts are made a part of the same series as the saints, and this seriation, as Bandak calls it, authorizes certain social actions, and social agency is thus challenged to follow such comportment (and particular social values). Further, the saints are crucial for understanding the Coptic concept of tradition, an indispensable element of Orthodox faith, as they represent its constituting elements. I point out that tradition in the Coptic Orthodox Church is defined as a lived experience (anchored in the experience of suffering) that can be lived again (it is not a historical moment located exclusively in the past) and is directly linked to the past. I link this understanding of the past with Simon Coleman's notion of historiopraxy to illuminate the Coptic disposition towards the past, and I argue that in the Coptic Orthodox Church the existence of the past without tradition is meaningless.
Předložený text popisuje výsledky kvalitativní výzkumné sondy, která se zaměřovala na jeden specifický obsah rodinné výchovy, konkrétně pak na to, jak žáci třetích a čtvrtých tříd základních škol popisují Štědrý večer ve své rodině a proces předávání dárků. Na základě našeho šetření, jehož se účastnilo 62 respondentů, prezentujeme, jakým z působem žáci vysvětlují objevení dárků pod stromkem, a zachycují následující procesy jejich předávání a rozbalování. V důsledku toho můžeme konstatovat, že Štědrý den je vystavěn na dvou typech rituálů, které děti již v tomto věku začínají samy reprodukovat. and This paper describes the results of a qualitative research study that examined how third and fourth grade pupils describe Christmas Eve in their families and its relation to the gift giving process. Relying on data gathered from 62 respondents, the paper presents how pupils explain the appearance of gifts under the Christmas tree and perceive the subsequent processes of gift exchange and unboxing. In consequence, we propose that Christmas Eve is based on two rituals which pupils start to reproduce even at this early age.
Autor přítomného příspěvku sumarizuje vědeckou aktivitu prof. Petra Liby, jež překračuje hranice literární vědy směrem ke kulturologii a interdisciplinaritě ve smyslu stálé prostupnosti a srovnávacího výzkumu. Autor komentuje tři části Libova myšlení manifestované v souboru studií Kultúra/Literatúra (2005): kulturní ráz společenské komunikace, jako je věda, globalizace, národní charakter kulturní tvořivosti a cesta ke kořenům tradice a duchovnosti včetně díla ruského náboženského filozofa Vl. Solovjova. Ve svých komentářích autor zdůrazňuje Libovu schopnost překračovat vrstvy lidského myšlení a jeho intuitivní uchopení všeho podstatného v kulturní činnosti lidstva. and The author of the present contribution summarizes the scholarly activity of professor Peter Liba who transcends the boundaries of literary criticism towards cultural studies and interdisciplinarity in the sense of the permanent permeability and comparative character of the research. The author comments upon the three parts of Liba's thought manifested in a volume of his studies Culture/Literature (2005): cultural character of social communication, such as science, globalization, the national character of cultural creativeness, and the way to the roots of tradition and spirituality including the works of the Russian religious poet and philosopher Vladimir Solovyov. In his comments the author accentuates Liba's ability to transcend the layers of human thinking and his intuitive grasp of all the substantial in cultural activity of mankind.
У склопу разматрања стања славистике у савременом свету, у раду је представљен извештај о организовању XVI Међународног конгреса слависта у Београду 2018. године. У средишту пажње је утврђивање опште тематике Конгреса; ту је и прецизирање форме рада, одређивање квота учесника, избор тематских блокова, формулисање пленарних реферата и сл. Све активности Председништва МКС-а , па и оне које се тичу измена у правцу модернизације МКС-а, морају имати у виду дугогодишњу традицију постојања и рада Међународног комитета слависта, и бити усмерене на развијање и неговање славистике у свим земљама света. Посебно је важно укључивање младих у рад МКС-а. and As a part of the state analysis of the Slavic culture in contemporary world, this paper represents a report on the organization of the XVI International Slavic Congress in Belgrade in 2018. The main focus is to determine the general theme of the Congress. There is also a refinement of the paper form, determination of the participant quota, the selection of thematic blocks, the formulation of the plenary presentations etc. All activities of the ISC Presidency, including those related to the modernisation of the ISC are to be considered in accordance with a long tradition of existence and work of the International Slavic Committee and be focused on the development and nurturing of Slavic studies in all countries around world. It is particularly important to involve young people in the work of the ISC.