20 years of the “ethnographers’ dictionary”. From concept to digital portal

Abstract

This article outlines the history of the Ethnographers and Folklorists of Poland: Profiles, Biographical Sketches series, commonly referred to as the “ethnographers’ dictionaries”. The series constitutes a form of the discipline’s memory within the community of ethnologists and cultural anthropologists in Poland, since the dictionary offers a unique opportunity to analyse the achievements of its representatives, trace the evolution of anthropological thought, and promote the profiles and contributions of researchers and theorists; moreover, it plays a significant role in shaping and reinforcing professional identity. The development and transformation of the series over the past two decades are analysed, with attention given to the profiles of the editors of individual volumes, as well as statistical data concerning both the authors of the entries and their subjects. The article also presents the etnoznawcy.pl knowledge portal (https://etnoznawcy.pl), which serves as a natural extension of the dictionary and a continuation of biographical work undertaken by the ethnographic community. Additionally, the article discusses editorial experiences related to the preparation of the series. The conclusion reflects on the technical aspects of compiling the dictionary and building the associated digital knowledge portal.