Den nasjonale kulturarven ⁠— en del av det moderne

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in discussing the meaning and effect of cultural analysis. A recognition has emerged that our work not only accumulates knowledge about culture but also, to some extent, contributes to the creation of culture. One well known example of this is found in the history of our subject: the early folklorists very consciously aimed at constructing to raise a national culture. But also more generally cultural analysts may be said to create culture as they study it. The present article draws on Kirsten Hastrup's theories of cultures as "implicitly comparative". The culture we study is created in the comparison with our own, and in the attempt at seeing it as a "text", separated from a "context".