ESTONIA AND POLAND: CREATIVITY AND TRADITION CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Volume 1: Jokes and their relations This book deals with the creativity and tradition of cultural phenomena in the rapidly transforming post-socialist societies. Parallel research articles by Estonian and Polish authors set out to analyse media texts and other contemporary (folkloric) narratives in order to pin down the influence of political and economic changes on culture. Research material for Volume 1: Jokes and their relations includes primarily humour, but also proverbs and online aggressiveness. The results throw light on the similarities and differences in the ways cultural narratives have changed in the past decades and identity issues in the former Eastern Bloc are reflected in everyday texts, either online, on television, or in face-to-face communication. The analysis of culturally significant texts also helps to redefine the borders and influences of the local and the global in creativity and tradition.

Contents vol. 1:
A. Krikmann "Estonian three nation jokes (1964-2012)"
D. Brzozowska "Three characters in Polish jokes"
L. Laineste "Women in Estonian jokes"
D. Brzozowska "Family in Polish jokes"
L. Laineste "Stand-up in Estonia: From Soviet estrada to Comedy Estonia"
W. Chlopicki "Stand-up tragedy in Poland?"
M. Rebane "Some aspects of telling political jokes in Soviet Estonia"
M. Poprawa "Polish political humour. An outline of the phenomenon"
M. Lőhmus "Political correctness and political humourin Soviet Estonia and beyond"
G. Strzadala "Censorship in the People's Republic of Poland"
A. Baran "Visual humour on the Internet"
T. Piekot Pictorial "representation of idioms in Internet humour"
L. Laineste "Verbal expressions of aggressiveness on the Estonian Internet"
A. Tereszkiewicz "Do Poles flame? Aggressiveness on Polish discussion groups and social networking sites"
P. Voolaid "In graffiti veritas: A paremic glance at graffiti in Tartu"
G. Szpila "Regulating the reality? Proverbs in Polish graffiti"

Volume 2: Perspectives on national and regional identity The focus of the book is on the role of creativity and tradition in contemporary Eastern Europe, with Estonia and Poland as cases in point. The volume of articles addresses diverse narratives in the Eastern European cultural space as they occur in various types of media. Parallel research articles by scholars from a wide range of fields seek to provide a novel perspective on the ongoing discussions of identity in these rapidly changing societies. Research material for Volume 2: "Perspectives on national and regional identity" is drawn from a variety of sources, both contemporary, e.g. advertisement campaigns, urban legends, cookbooks, etc, and archival, especially folkloric. The analysis of culturally significant narratives helps to specify their role in the construction of collective identity. The results of the studies demonstrate that both national and regional identities are at least partly determined by concepts and stories shared by the people, but at the same time they are the products of external variables, such as public policies or globalisation.

Contents vol. 2:
A. Lubecka National identities on display. The role of advertisements in the management of Polish national identity
E. Kalmre "Rumours and contemporary legends as part of identity creation process"
M. Wójcicka "Urban legends in Poland"
M. Kőiva "Calendar feasts: Politics of adoption and reinstatement"
A. Lubecka "Polish ritual year - a reflection of Polish cultural policy"
R. Järv "A hen who doesn't lay golden eggs?! Fairy tale advertisements and their strategies"
M. Wójcicka "Oral textual patterns in modern advertising"
E. Annuk "Culinary discourse: Organic food in Estonia"
W. Zarski "Culinary identity as the determinant of cultural distinctiveness in Silesia and the Vilnius Region"
M. Sarv "Traditional Estonian lullabies. A tentative overview"
K. Sikora, B. Zebrowska "Traditional Polish lullabies"
U. Lehr "The transcendental side of life. Aquatic demons in Polish folklore"
M. Kalda "Hidden treasure lore in Estonian folk tradition"
M. Izykowska "Money as an object of desire in Silesian folklore"