As a young émigré from Königsberg to Riga Johann Gottfried Herder (1744—1803) developed a lifelong interest in the oral poetry of the common people, whose popular song traditions he later entitled Volkslieder. Herder’s affirmation of aesthetic and cultural individuality in his landmark collection of that title (1778-79) had far-reaching implications for the evolution of Latvian and East European folksong scholarship, and these extend to the practices of the present day. Underlying this work are source readings in translation that have been important in considering Herder’s prevailing influence. Pivotal historical episodes demarcate, first, Herder’s philosophical ties to the late nineteenth-century Latvian national awakening, second, to the final years of dissent within the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, and finally, to the current practitioner groups (kopas) that espouse ethnic and regional song traditions in a changing cultural milieu. A demonstration from each of Latvia’s four provinces has formed the substance of interviews and recordings in a fieldwork inquiry, which dates from 2000 to 2007. The conclusion evaluates Herder’s cyclical philosophy of history and humanity (Humanitätsideal) in relation to the diverse voices of Latvia’s ethnic minorities.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Uppsala universitet, 1935. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [ix]-xv).

Zugl.: Berlin, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2005

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, 1918. / "Private eition, distributed by The University of Chicago Libraries." Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, 1918. / "Private eition, distributed by The University of Chicago Libraries." Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-180).

Johann Gottfried Herder, ein Vorromantiker, fuhrte eine neue Bewegung, eine Volksbewegung, in Deutschland ein. Herder interessierte sich fur die Sprache im Allgemeinen und insbesondere fur die "primitiven" Elemente in der deutschen Sprache, die am besten in Volksliedern il erscheinen. Seine Bedeutung liegt in der Umwertung des Wortes "primitiv" durch seine Sammlung von nationalen und internationalen Volksliedern.

Este estudo trata, sob a ótica da Teoria da História e com o auxílio de métodos da História Social e dos Conceitos, da relação entre a crítica do jovem Herder ao Esclarecimento e seu conceito de nação em formação entre 1765 e 1774. Partindo das implicações historiográficas do tema, seu objetivo é pôr à luz e compreender os significados políticos da obra de Herder no período estudado. Trata-se, em primeiro lugar, do projeto reformista herderiano em favor das identidades nacionais, pesando suas divergências em relação ao projeto civilizatório e cosmopolita do Esclarecimento. Em seguida, aborda-se a crítica de Herder ao Esclarecimento e à modernidade. O grande problema apresentado por Herder em 1774, no contexto dessa crítica, é a incompreensão e depreciação do outro pelo europeu esclarecido que, em nome da universalidade, justifica e instrumentaliza o projeto colonizador do Estado. Desse modo, Herder vê uma convergência entre o Esclarecimento e os interesses dos grandes Estados monárquicos europeus. À medida que ele gradualmente passa a pensar a história como história do presente, essa crítica se acirra e toma a forma da oposição conflituosa entre o Estado esclarecido e cosmopolita e os povos e nações sob seu domínio. Trata-se, então, para Herder, de defender estes povos e nações contra o poder uniformizador e mecanizador do Estado moderno, crítica que ele dirige especialmente para a Prússia de Frederico II. Conforme Herder, a modernidade realiza uma dissolução dos vínculos humanos, dos afetos e laços identitários, e seu projeto nacional surge como antídoto para essa dissolução que, segundo ele, é o grande mal da época moderna. Partindo daí, ele procura contribuir não só para a construção da identidade nacional alemã, mas dos povos e nações que são, no seu entender, oprimidos pela vocação colonizadora do Estado monárquico aliado ao ethos esclarecido da modernidade. Por conseguinte, a crítica de Herder ao Esclarecimento e sua formulação de um novo conceito de nação são importantes contribuições à formação da ideologia nacional alemã (e não só) entre os séculos XVIII e XIX. / Starting from the perspective of the Theory of History, Social History and History of Concepts methods, this thesis deals with the relationship between the young Herder critique of Enlightenment and the making of his concept of nation that takes place between 1765 and 1774. Stressing the historiographic implications of this theme, this study aims to bring to light the political meaning of Herder\'s work in the period. In the first place, it focusses Herder\'s reformist project in favor of national identities, weighing its distintive character before the civilizing and cosmopolitan project of Enlightenment. Departing from that point, the study approaches Herder\'s critique of Enlightenment and his critique of modernity. The great problem presented by Herder in 1774 in the context of his critique is the incomprehension and depreciation of the \"other\" by the enlightened European who, in the name of universality, justifies and instrumentalizes the Modern State colonizing project. In this sense, Herder´s critique denounces a convergence between the Enlightenment and the great European monarchical States. As Herder gradually begins to think of history as a history of the present, this critique gets stronger and takes the form of the conflicting opposition between the enlightened and cosmopolitan State and the nations under its control. Therefore, Herder´s main concern is defending the \"peoples\" and the \"nations\" against the \"unifying\" and \"mechanizing\" power of the modern State, a criticism that he addresses especially to Frederick II and the Prussian State. So the Herderian national project emerges as an antidote to what he considers the great evil of the Modern Age: the dissolution of human bonds, affections and ties of identity. In this respect, he seeks to contribute not only to the construction of the German national identity, but also to the identity of peoples and nations who are, in his view, oppressed by the colonizing trend of the monarchical State allied to the enlightened ethos of modernity. Thus, Herder\'s critique of Enlightenment, and his formulation of a new concept of nation are important contributions to the formation of the German (and other peoples) national ideology between the 18th and 19th centuries.

This thesis offers a comparison, which rarely, if ever, has been made between Isaiah Berlin and Charles Taylors account of the ideas of Johann Gottfried Herder on the relationship of language, culture and nationality. It argues that Berlin misrepresents Herders ideas in emphasizing the extent to which differences in language and culture necessarily result in ethnic and national conflicts between incompatible cultural worldviews, while Taylor does correctly understand that Herder sees no reason for why such conflict between cultural entities should be inevitable either within a single state or between states. The thesis concludes by offering reasons for why Herder, properly understood, allows us to be optimistic about the future of both intrastate and interstate relationships among diverse cultural groups.

This thesis offers a comparison, which rarely, if ever, has been made between Isaiah Berlin and Charles Taylors account of the ideas of Johann Gottfried Herder on the relationship of language, culture and nationality. It argues that Berlin misrepresents Herders ideas in emphasizing the extent to which differences in language and culture necessarily result in ethnic and national conflicts between incompatible cultural worldviews, while Taylor does correctly understand that Herder sees no reason for why such conflict between cultural entities should be inevitable either within a single state or between states. The thesis concludes by offering reasons for why Herder, properly understood, allows us to be optimistic about the future of both intrastate and interstate relationships among diverse cultural groups.