Complementation and Research of Sources and Literature on Slovene Emigration

Collecting and analyzing sources and literature is the central task of the Institute for Slovene Emigration Studies of the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Since their research studies are based on old as well as newly collected material from the field (among immigrants) and in foreign and domestic archives, almost all the Institute employees take part in this research project (an ethnologist, a sociologist, two historians, a literary historian, and a cultural anthropologist). The project, which was initiated in 1996, will be completed in 2000. It comprises a register of associations, organizations, religious centres and other cultural or sports institutions of Slovene immigrants; the making of an alphabetical, geographical and chronological catalogue of Slovene emigration periodicals; the making of an alphabetical, geographical, and chronological catalogue of relevant literature; the making of a catalogue of the Institute's archival funds and collections; publication of sources (documents, correspondence, autobiographies, photographs); the making of selected biographical bibliographies of prominent Slovene immigrants; the making of video, slide and audio collections on Slovene immigrants; a qualitative analysis of written and oral sources in the above-mentioned collections. Since the project has an interdisciplinary character, the researchers employ research methods of their own fields. Among the most important are the processing of archival material and documentation, and stationary work combined with the autobiographical method. The project thus enables registration and preservation of the known as well as the hitherto unknown material on Slovene immigrants that is dispersed in Slovenia and abroad. The results have been presented in the form of scientific papers in various conferences and will finally be presented to the Slovene public in the form of a catalogue and an exhibition.