An Ethnologist in Two Historical Epochs: Irena Regina Merkienė

Dedicated to the memory of Irena Regina Merkienė (1937–2024)

Abstract

In the article, which aims to reveal the scientific life path of ethnologist Irena Regina Merkienė, I set the following tasks: 1. reveal the features of the institutionalisation of ethnology in Lithuania as compared to neighbouring countries; 2. describe ethnologist Merkienė’s research during the Soviet period; and 3. analyse Merkienė’s ethnological research after Lithuania regained independence. The conclusions obtained are that the period of Lithuanian independence created not only career opportunities
and the opportunity to create and administer ethnological institutions for ethnologist Merkienė, but also the freedom to expand the boundaries of ethnological research, looking at the nation’s (not only folk) culture from different perspectives of ethnological research.