The International Society for Ethnology and Folklore - SIEF - is a a pluridisciplinary organization, centered in the twin fields of ethnology and folklore. It is promiscuous in its disciplinary relations, while keeping faith with its founding values and vision. We gather every two years for our congress, where we engage with one another's work and enjoy each other's company. The SIEF congress is a
n intellectual festival where we showcase the state of the art in our fields and it is a ritual time in the academic calendar, crucial for carrying the fields forward, building professional networks, hatching collaborative projects, and cultivating friendships. The last big congress was in Tartu, Estonia, in 2013, and the next one is in Zagreb, Croatia, in June 2015. Between congresses, SIEF's working groups provide platforms for critical debate, networking, and exchange of information; they organize their own meetings and sponsor publications. We encourage you to take part in their work; all it takes to join one is to e-mail the chairpersons. This website has more information about the working groups and the society, its publications, newsletter, videos, bylaws, history, congresses, the SIEF young scholar prize, and the SIEF interactive map of departments and programs of higher education in its fields. Our fields are nothing if they are not international. The important conversations that take us forward are carried out across national borders. With its biennial congress, working groups, website, and publications, SIEF helps us have these conversations. Together, we are stronger. Together, we are more interesting. We encourage you to take up contact with the Secretariat (sief(AT)meertens.knaw.nl), myself (vth(AT)hi.is) or executive board members. Valdimar Tr. Hafstein, SIEF President
