continuing education
Further information
UniTartu Summer School
Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu
Liis Mulk
Specialist for the UniTartu Summer School
International Cooperation and Protocol Office

Tales, Legends, and Demons in Contemporary Culture and Ukrainian Folklore

Mare’s Head, vampire-witches, scary saints, and children appearing as flickering lights – what do they all have in common? Did giants ever inhabit the Ukrainian landscape, and why do Ukrainian mermaids not have tails, but witches do? These questions point to a complex, non-linear tradition of meaning-making of the uncanny and the supernatural, reflected in beliefs and narrative genres of Ukrainian folklore.

During the course, students will explore the uncanny creatures, beliefs, and rituals, the way they were believed and practised. Interactive classes will provide key analytical tools and practical materials to explore various approaches to interpreting the supernatural beliefs and encounters, as well as examining their role in contemporary culture.

Course description

This course introduces students to a multi-layered tradition of Ukrainian folklore, its peculiarities of meaning-making of the uncanny experiences, supernatural encounters and creatures. Through the study of narratives and their reimagining in contemporary media, the course examines how this tradition, backed by vernacular Christianity, have shaped cultural meanings and social values throughout history into nowadays.

The course situates Ukrainian folkloric creatures and beliefs within broader cultural studies framework, focusing on folklore as a dynamic system and essential tool for meaning-making, inherent to every tradition. Particular attention is paid to how supernatural beliefs are experienced and reinvented in nowadays as narrative response to social changes, crisis, and cultural continuity, and how they are reactualised in contemporary culture and social media.

The course combines close reading of folkloric texts, perception of pop art and contemporary events, development of the analytical tools for critical analysis, and guided discussions. The final aim of the course is to foster methodological awareness in understanding of the ongoing relevance of folklore in modern cultural contexts

General course information

Course dates27 July - 7 August, 2026 (two-week course, 10 study days)
Course fee450 EUR
Course formatsummer course
Study fieldCultural studies, Folkloristics, Ethnology, Anthropology, Literature
LanguageEnglish
Study groupbachelor´s, master's and PhD students, life-long learners
Assessment / ECTSPass/Fail (3 ECTS)
Location

Tartu

University of Tartu, Ülikooli 16

Lecturer and course leader

Alina Oprelianska

Junior Research Fellow and a PhD student at the Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore at the University of Tartu, Estonia

Study information about the course

No previous knowledge is required.

All classes take place from 10:45 to 13:00, with a 30-minute break in between.
The classes are structured as a combination of lectures, discussions, and group work.

Day 1: Monday, 27 July

Morning session from 9:00, the opening with the rest of the summer school participants across the University of Tartu.

Introduction: folklore, narrative genres, and Ukrainian cultural landscapes.
Lecture + discussions
Day 2: Tuesday, 28 July
Core legends about Ukraine and their reappearance in the contemporary context of war and politics.
Group work on political mythology.
Day 3: Wednesday, 29 July
Vij, Gogol, vernacular Christianity, modern horror, and contemporary culture. A decolonial approach.
Group work on saints in different cultures.
Day 4: Thursday, 30 July
Mavka, dead children, and other forest creatures: cinematography, horror, the gaming industry, and archival materials.
Day 5: Friday, 31 July
Turning folklore into the horror genre.
Lecture + discussions + group work

Day 6 (Sat, Aug 1st) – Cultural and Social programme with the rest of the summer school.

Day 7 (Sun, Aug 2nd) – Cultural and Social programme with the rest of the summer school.

Day 8: Monday, 3 August

Household spirits and the experience of sleep paralysis.

Lecture + group work on local interpretations and personal experiences
Day 9: Tuesday, 4 August
Witches, wizards, and dragons (Part 1): a glimpse into 19th-century beliefs and contemporary living traditions.
Lecture + group work
Day 10: Wednesday, 5 August
05.08 – Witches, wizards, and dragons (Part 2): contemporary fusion, the gaming industry, and cinematography.
Lecture + group work
Day 11: Thursday, 6 August
Fairy tales (Part 1): Mare’s Head, the Decapitated Man, and other unusual creatures.
Lecture + group work
Day 12: Friday, 7 August
Fairy tales (Part 2): Cinderella and the Dragon Slayer—older versions and modern interpretations.
Final discussions.


The course will have final presentation done in a group work. Also reading materials and media content will be assigned to work on during the course.

  • To equip students with knowledge of Ukrainian supernatural folklore and its existence in nowadays.

  • To cultivate interpretative strategies for meaning-making of folkloric and everyday supernatural.

  • To develop conceptual vocabulary for meaning-making and writing in Cultural Studies.

Course registration info

  • Application period: 20 March – 20 April
  • Notification of acceptance: accepted participants will be informed after the application period, by 30 April at the latest
  • Deadline for paying the course fee: 31 May
  • Confirmation of courses taking place: 5 June
  • UniTartu Summer School in Tartu: 27 July – 7 August

Only fully completed applications, including all required annexes, received by the deadline (20 April) will be considered for selection. Applicants must submit the following:

  • Online application form
    (application period: 20 March–20 April 2026)
  • Motivation letter (maximum 1 page), explaining:
    • your motivation to participate;
    • your expectations for the programme;
    • how the summer course relates to your studies and interests;
    • how you plan to use the knowledge and experience gained in the future.
  • Transcript of academic records
  • Copy of your passport
  • Proof of the application fee payment (25 EUR)

The participants of the UniTartu Summer School courses are required to pay:

  • The application fee of 25 EUR must be paid by the application deadline (20 April) at the latest.
    The application fee is non-refundable.
  • The course fee is 450 EUR.
    Includes: Study materials, academic work with lecturers, Certificate of completion, and cultural events in the evenings
    Not included: meals, transportation and accommodation

Please note that the course fee is payable only after you have been accepted into the course. Once accepted, you will receive a confirmation of acceptance together with an invoice. The course fee can only be paid based on the invoice issued to you.

By paying the application fee, course fee and cultural events fee, you accept the terms and conditions information document. You are required to tick the box in the credit card payment form to confirm you have read and agree to terms and conditions. If you choose to pay by bank transfer, you will be informed of the same conditions.

Please note that by paying the fees, you are considered to have accepted the Terms and Conditions.

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