Institute of European and Cultural Identity Studies (IECIS): Introduction

The Institute, which ran its first Seminar series in 1998, was set up to create a centre for the study of the collective identities represented, expressed and modelled in the national cultures of the countries of continental Europe. We also refer to other culture-zones, particularly Latin America and French-speaking Africa, and to British culture.

Our business is the 'poetics' of cultural identity: that is, the investigation of the making of the very diverse representational constructs and creations (e.g. speech patterns, traditions, myths, literary texts, political institutions) by which national culture groups remember, explore, criticise and renew their sense of identity.

We aim to provide a focus and a forum for high-level research into cultural identity in all its aspects; which involves potential interdisciplinary interactions with most of the subjects studied under the name of arts or humanities. IECIS has moved on to gather expertise from other disciplinary areas across the University, representatives from which sit on its management committee.

In particular, we are committed to:

• Providing a vibrant research environment for postgraduate students through an MLitt/PhD Programme in Cultural Identity Studies and a Research Seminar series in which staff, students and guest speakers can exchange and develop ideas.
• Initiating productive dialogue between the modern language disciplines and other disciplines through joint seminars, lecture series and conferences.
• Producing a series of publications related to the research interests of the Institute which have often stemmed from the proceedings of our international conferences.

The Institute offers expertise, research resources and study facilities which reflect the highest standards. Research seminars, international conferences and guest lecturers ensure that postgraduate study is undertaken in a stimulating intellectual environment. The international profile of the School in which the Institute functions is further enhanced by its editing of the journal Forum for Modern Language Studies, published by Oxford University Press.

The publisher Peter Lang has recently created a new series "Cultural Identity Studies", edited by Emeritus Prof Helen Chambers. The series remit is as follows:

"This series aims to publish new research (monographs and essays) into relationships and interactions between culture and identity. Designed to promote a better understanding of the processes of identity formation, both individual and collective, it explores culturally informed vectors and determinants of identity, including linguistic, social, political, psychological and religious ones, having regard to both historical context and to forms of philosophic or theory-based understanding. The theorizing of identity formation is linked to case-studies of individual writers, thinkers or other cultural products. The series looks to provide an international forum for critical engagement with both well-established and exploratory perspectives in the field. It focusses primarily on cultures linked ot European languages, but welcomes trans-cultural links and comparisons. it is published in association with the Institute of European Cultural Identity Studies of the University of St Andrews."

New proposals for volumes are welcome and should be sent to Laurel Plapp at Peter Lang: e-mail l.plapp@peterlang.com

Director: Dr Gustavo San Román B.A (Nottingham), PhD. (Cantab.), gfsr@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Management Committee: Professor Nigel Rapport (Social Anthropology and Centre for Cosmopolitan Studies), Deputy Director; Professor Sarah Broadie (Philosophy), Dr Claudia Rossignoli (Italian); Dr Tom Jones (English); Dr Mark Harris (Social Anthropology); Dr Huon Wardle (Social Anthropology); Dr Emilia Ferraro (Geography & Sustainable Development); Dr Oliver Smith (Russian).