The complete list of main results including dissemination can be found at
https://symbolmyth.wordpress.com/the-msca-project/(opens in new window) Due to the limited word count only a part of the results could be displayed in this report.
The main body of the project research consisted of four studies into the metaphoric and analogic nature of myth, as exemplified by the Old Norse mythology. The four work packages resulted in four academic articles, which are as of September 2020 in various stages of the publishing process.
Full-Length Academic Journal Articles successfully completed during the project
I. “Óðinn and the Mead: The Two-Faced Myth”, Viking and Medieval Scandinavia
II. “Body Parts and Metaphors: The Logic of Symbolic Transformations in Old Norse Myth”, Method and Theory in the Study of Religion
III. “The Echo of Creation: Parallels between Old Norse Cosmogony and Eschatology”, History of Religions
IV. “The Dialectic of Seduction: Óðinn and Vǫlundr”, Scandinavian Studies
V. “Rhetorical Tropes and Body Symbolism: The Semiotic Approach to Old Norse Myth”, Methodology in Mythology (Collection)
Another – quite strong – aspect of the project was dissemination of the results of the research to various audiences, academic as well as student and general public:
Invited Lectures at the Universities in Prague and in Reykjavík.
Dissemination to primarily non-academic audiences
• “Why Are Myths So Weird?”, public lecture at the Municipial Library in Prague, 2020
• “The Language of Myth” in The Project Repository Journal, Vol 7, 2020
• “Sacrifice and Body Parts in Viking Myths” on YouTube Channel of Dr. Matthias Nordvig ( https://youtu.be/1ksKDrno3rc ), 2019
Papers Presented at International Conferences and Workshops (10 entries, not included here due to limit on the word count)
Part of the dissemination process was also targeted at students at the University in Bergen (UiB), where the developing concepts and ideas were thoroughly discussed with young scholar-to-be.
Conference and Workshop Organizing
• Mythology as a Branch of Learning: International workshop of UC Berkeley (Peder Sather Center) and University of Bergen
• Methodology in Mythology: Aarhus Mythology Conference, Bergen 2019
• The International Workshop on Conceptual Metaphors and Body Symbolism, Bergen 2019
It is important to stress that originally in the application there were no workshops or conferences promised as a part of the project. Thanks to the support and care of the supervisor and the support of the institution these three successful events took place. The cooperation with Berkeley and the Peder Sather grant was an unforeseen major opportunity that greatly enriched the original work plan.
Another form of dissemination was the presentation and discussion of the contents of the research with the colleagues within research groups at the University of Bergen.
To sum up: the four work packages were completed, resulting in five academic articles – the four that were promised in the application plus an additional, related one. The ongoing and finished research was widely disseminated through the channels listed above targeting various audiences and starting conversations on the research topic. Major addition to the promised outcomes were two workshops and one conference.
