Märchen und Politik - Märchen und Migration

"Fairy Tales and Politics"? Do they go together? For the annual congress in 2022, the European Fairy Tale Society invited participants to this initially surprising topic in the Ore Mountains on the border with the Czech Republic. Fairy tales serve as an escape from everyday life as well as a form of system critique, a means of self-discovery or survival aid, and can also be used for indoctrination, strengthening self-awareness, or adapting to the prevailing system. They are the medium of the poor and oppressed, while simultaneously being a tool to keep them marginalized. Fairy tales are both needed and misused.

This is demonstrated by the contributors, who address the political reality from their respective perspectives in relation to fairy tales. In thematic proximity to the EMG congress, the conference "Fairy Tales and Migration" was held by the Walter Kahn Fairy Tale Foundation. The term "migration" was examined in its dual meaning: on one hand, through narrative testimonies from various cultures around the world, and on the other hand, in relation to current migration movements and their (educational) political relevance. Published on behalf of the European Fairy Tale Society by Harlinda Lox and Angelika B. Hirsch, and on behalf of the Walter Kahn Fairy Tale Foundation by Kristin Wardetzky.