SIEF is an international scholarly organization founded in 1964. The major purpose of our organization is to facilitate cooperation among scholars working within European Ethnology, Folklore Studies and adjoining fields. Membership is open to interested scholars and students. The modest membership fees support our efforts to build stronger networks among individuals and institutions in our fields, to enlarge the scope of our web-based services, and to plan and carry out scholarly meetings. Within the larger and looser framework of SIEF, a number of special interest sections have taken shape over the past decades. They hold their own congresses and workshops, and in some instances publish their own proceedings.

SIEF has organized large congresses in three to five year intervals. The most recent congress with the theme "Transcending 'Euopean Heritages'" was held in Londonderry in June 2008. The next big congress is planned for  2011 in Lisbon. As SIEF hopes to contribute to improve contact and collaboration among scholars, we hope also to initiate a number of smaller workshops designed specifically for more intensive encounters on themes relevant to a rapidly transforming world. If you are interested in participating in such endeavours, have ideas for potential topics as well as for potential sponsors for such events, please do contact us ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

In addition, SIEF seeks to serve like minded scholars through information offered on this web page. We would like to offer links to research institutions (at universities or in the public domain) and invite you to provide us with the relevant information. Our web page will also post information on upcoming events of interest to our membership. We encourage you to take up contact with the Secretariat ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), myself ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or executive board members.

Ullrich Kockel
President, SIEF
Professor of Ethnology and Folk Life
University of Ulster