An introduction to national biographical dictionaries renovation

Authors

  • Mikel Urquijo University of the Basque Country, Spain
  • Joseba Agirreazkuenaga University of the Basque Country, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33604/sl.14.27.3

Keywords:

national biography, national memory, open innovation, online editions

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to take part in the debate about the future of national biographies today. In this sense, we analyse national biographical dictionaries as instruments for the creation of national memory and as a foundation in the processes of building nation-states. We analyse the origin and development of national biographical dictionaries in the context of the evolution of biography. We initially observe the elements that condition dictionaries: the geographical and chronological framework in which they are developed, the criteria for selecting the personages whose biographies are to be written and for selecting biographers, the structure and sources of the biographies. At present, this model of dictionaries and national memory is being put into question by the emergence of new nationalisms and by the superseding of nations in new supranational bodies like the European Union. Finally, based on the above, we set out a proposal for renovating these works in the XXI century.

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Published

2021-04-19

Issue

Section

Preliminary communication