Marjetka Golež Kaučič is a researcher at the Institute of Ethnomusicology at ZRC SAZU, where she served as director from 1994 to 2015. She specialises in folk songs, ballads, contemporary poetry and prose, folk drama and theatre, and her current research focuses on the depiction of animals and plants in folklore, literature and culture. She earned her PhD in Literary Studies from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana. Her work provides in-depth examinations of Slovenian and European folk songs, as well as folk songs in a comparative context with literary, Slovenian and European ballads. She also explores the role of women in folklore and literature, and introduces new theoretical insights from zoofolklore and critical animal studies to innovatively explore animal-human and plant-human relationships in folklore, literature and culture. As a project leader and full professor at the ZRC SAZU Postgraduate School, she actively disseminates knowledge and develops new interdisciplinary research directions.
She explores the relationship between folk and artistic poetry, prose and drama, applying the theory of intertextuality to folklore studies and engaging with new methodological approaches in folklore research, particularly fieldwork. Her research specialty is the ballad as a specific genre.
She has studied the role of women in folk songs, the reflection of legal and sociological elements in folk poetry and popular songs. She has also engaged with the literary and folkloristic aspects of folk poetry studies. Since 1999, she has intensively studied the roles and meanings of animals in folklore and literature. In doing so, she has drawn on new theoretical concepts of zoofolklore (a discipline she is developing), as well as cultural and critical animal studies and ecocriticism. These are fundamental scientific, theoretical and methodological discourses. She has also taken a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating insights from various humanities disciplines, such as philosophy, anthropology and cognitive ethology, into her research.
Her most significant achievements include the scholarly monographs Man Is the Worst Beast: Animals in Folklore, Literature, and Culture; Animal in Focus (co-edited with Saša Babić); The Slovenian Folk Ballad; Folk and Art – Two Faces of Creativity; and chapters in scholarly monographs published by ZRC Publishing and other international publishers such as Routledge, Cambridge Scholars and Trier Publishing. She has also published a large number of scholarly articles in Slovenian and international academic journals. As president of the International Association for Ballad Research (Kommission für Volksdichtung), she establishes academic networks that extend beyond this subject area. Of particular importance is the development of zoofolklore and its integration into regional and European contexts.
Her future research goals include an in-depth study of animals in European literature, society and politics, climate fiction and ecofeminism, and introducing critical plant studies into the research landscape.
Scientific monograph
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka, BABIČ, Saša (urednik). Slovenska ljudska balada, (Zbirka Folkloristični zvezki, 2). 1. naklada. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2018. 429 str., ilustr., zvd., note, povezava
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. "Fantje se zbirajo ---" : vojna in vojaki v slovenski ljudski pesmi/ “The young men are gathering . . .”: war and soldiers in Slovenian folksong, (Zbirka Folkloristični zvezki, 1/ Folklore Studies I). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2013. ISBN 978-961-254-445-4. povezava
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka et al. Slovenske ljudske pesmi V. Ljubljana, Slovenska matica in Založba ZRC: 2007.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka, ŠIVIC, Urša, KUNEJ, Drago. Slovenske ljudske pesmi V = Slovenian folk songs V, Družinske pripovedne pesmi, = Family ballads, (Iz arhiva Glasbenonarodopisnega inštituta). Ljubljana: ZRC SAZU: = SRC SASA: Založba ZRC: = SRC Publishing, 2007. 1 CD (1 ura 10 min 42 sek), stereo. ISBN 978-961-254-031-9. povezava
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Ljudsko in umetno : dva obraza ustvarjalnosti, (Zbirka Folkloristika). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2003. 329 str., ilustr. ISBN 961-6500-19-8.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka et al. Slovenske ljudske pesmi IV. Ljubljana, Slovenska matica: 1998.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, MARJETKA et al. Slovenske ljudske pesmi III. Ljubljana, Slovenska matica: 1992.
Chapters in scientific monographs
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. From racism to speciesism : the question of freedom of the other in the works of J. M. Coetzee and Jure Detela. V: HERRERA-SOBEK, Maria (ur.), LOMELÍ, Francisco A. (ur.), KIRSCHNER, Luz Angélica (ur.). Human rights in the Americas. London; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2021. Str. 265-282. Inter-American research. ISBN 978-0-367-63691-3. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003120315-21/racism-speciesism-marjetka-gole%C5%BE-kau%C4%8Di%C4%8D?context=ubx&refId=65b5dec4-d7e3-46cd-b692-b295a435b766, DOI: 10.4324/9781003120315.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Zoo/bioetičko i Nikola Visković. V: GUĆ, Josip (ur.), JURIĆ, Hrvoje (ur.). Nikola Visković: pravo - politika - bioetika : zbornik povodom osamdesetog rođendana. Zagreb: Pergamena: Znanstveni centar izvrsnosti za integrativnu bioetiku; Split: Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu, Centar za integrativnu bioetiku: Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu. 2021, str. 117-135. Biblioteka Bioetika, knj. 42.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Večvrstni svet v poeziji Alenke Jovanovski in Vesne Liponik. V: PAVLIČ, Darja (ur.). Slovenska poezija. 1. natis. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2021. Str. 161-168. Obdobja, 40. ISBN 978-961-06-0542-3. ISSN 1408-211X. https://centerslo.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Golez-Kaucic_Obdobja-40.pdf, DOI: 10.4312/Obdobja.40.161-168. [COBISS.SI-ID 86183427]
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Matija Murko med slovenskim in južnoslovanskim ljudskim pesemskim izročilom. V: JESENŠEK, Marko (ur.), STANONIK, Marija (ur.). Matija Murko - slovanski filolog v najširšem pomenu besede. Ljubljana: Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti, 2020. Str. 198-216. Razprave, 24.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Zoopoetika smrti živali v izbranih folklornih in literarnih besedilih. V: VIČAR, Branka (ur.). Pojmovanja živalskih smrti : antropocentrizem in (ne)možne subjektivitete. Koper: Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče, Annales ZRS, 2020. Str. 103-125, ilustr.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Archetypal symbols in the Slovenian ballad tradition and their representation. V: STANOEV, Stanoj (ur.), et al. Wandering ideas on the paths of humanities : studies in folkloristics, cultural anthropology and slavistics in honour of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katya Mihaylova : in two volumes. Vol. 1 = Stranstvašti idei po pʺtištata na humanistaristikata : izsledvanija po folkloristika, kulturia antropologija i slavistika v čest na doc. d-r Katja Mihajlova : v dva toma. T. 1. Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Publishing House of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2020. Str. 145-159.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Lepa Vida in Kralj Matjaž : prek arhetipizacije v kanonizacijo. V: JEZERNIK, Božidar (ur.), SLAVEC GRADIŠNIK, Ingrid (ur.). Močni, modri in dobri : junaki v slovenski folklori. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2019. Str. 89-108, ilustr. Zbirka Zupaničeva knjižnica, št. 48. ISBN 978-961-06-0262-0. https://e-knjige.ff.uni-lj.si/znanstvena-zalozba/catalog/view/173/269/4473-1.
Scientific articles
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Jezik govora, jezik pesmi : med narečjem, nadnarečjem in standardnim jezikom. Traditiones : zbornik Inštituta za slovensko narodopisje. [Tiskana izd.]. 2021, letn. 50, št. 2, str. 55-78.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Lastninske in nelastninske živali v urbanem okolju : aspekti dominacije, odtujenosti in speciesizma. Glasnik Slovenskega etnološkega društva. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, 60, št. 2, str. 42-57. ISSN 0351-2908. https://www.sed-drustvo.si/publikacije/glasnik-slovenskega-etnoloskega-drustva/glasniki/glasnik-slovenskega-etnoloskega-drustva-60-2-2020.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. "Zoopoetic dwelling" : the ecology of the connectedness of animal and human homes and dwelling through folklore and literary representations. Studia mythologica Slavica. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, [št.] 23, str. 205-234. ISSN 1408-6271. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/sms/article/view/9032/8163, DOI: 10.3986/SMS20202312.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Singing the other : singing in two languages and code-switching/stitching. Tautosakos darbai. 2020, 59, str. 100-119. ISSN 1392-2831. http://www.llti.lt/failai/TD59_spaudai_internetine%20versija-84-103.pdf.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Muslimani kot drugi v folklori in literaturi : med reprezentacijami in dejstvi = Muslims as others in folklore and literature : between representations and facts. Edinost in dialog : revija za ekumensko teologijo in medreligijski dialog. [Tiskana izd.]. 2019, letn. 74, št. 2, str.211-230. ISSN 2335-4127. https://www.teof.uni-lj.si/uploads/File/Edinost/74/02/Golez.pdf, DOI: 10.34291/Edinost/74/02/Golez.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Slovenska ljudska balada v srednješolskem izobraževanju - pastorka književnosti?. Jezik in slovstvo. [Tiskana izd.]. 2019, letn. 64, št. 2, str. 41-57, 116. ISSN 0021-6933.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. "Tlačanova voliča" ("The peasant's oxen") : a social and speciesist ballad. V: BURDEN, Matilda. Social issues in ballads and songs. Stellenbosch: Kommission für Volksdichtung, 2020. Str. 34-50, ilustr. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/kfv/documents/Burden_-_Social_Issues_in_Ballads_and_Songs.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 35467267]
Article in Encyclopedia
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Slowenien. III., Volksmusik. MGG online, ISSN 2510-4284, nov. 2016. https://www.mgg-online.com/article?id=mgg16072&v=2.0&q=kaucic&rs=mgg16072.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka. Used words. V: BROWN, Mary Ellen (ur.), ROSENBERG, Bruce A. (ur.). Encyclopedia of folklore and literature. Santa Barbara; Denver; Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 1998, str. 680-682.
Editor
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka (urednik). What to Do with folklore? : new perspectives on folklore research, (B.A.S.I.S., vol. 9). Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag, 2017. IX, 168 str., ilustr., note. ISBN 978-3-86821-702-5. povezava
Folkloristični zvezki. Golež Kaučič, Marjetka (urednik 2013-). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU.
Folkloristika. Golež Kaučič, Marjetka (urednik 2012-). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2003-. ISSN 2232-3791.
Traditiones. Golež Kaučič, Marjetka (član uredniškega odbora 2004-2014, urednik 2009, 2018). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU: Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti, 1972-. ISSN 0352-0447.
GOLEŽ KAUČIČ, Marjetka (ur.). Ljudske balade med izročilom in sodobnostjo : zbornik referatov 27. mednarodnega posvetovanja raziskovalcev balad (SIEF baladna komisija), Gozd Martuljek, Slovenija, 13. - 19.
julij 1997 = Ballads between tradition and modern times : proceedings of the 27th International Ballad Conference (SIEF Ballad Commission), Gozd Martuljek, Slovenia, July 13 - 19, 1997. Ljubljana: Znanstvenoraziskovalni center Slovenske akademije znanosti in umetnosti, Založba ZRC: = Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Science & Arts, ZRC Publishing: Glasbenonarodopisni inštitut ZRC SAZU: = Institute of Ethnomusicology SRC SASA, 1998. 264 str., ilustr.
- Research on Slovenian Folk Culture in Folklore Studies and Ethnology (research programme • January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2027)
- Space, place and identity in the areas of mass population replacement through the prism of folklore and toponyms (March 1, 2026 - February 28, 2029)
- The Weight of the past. Heritage of the Multicultural Area: Case Study of Gottschee (fundamental research project • October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025)
- Song Reflections on Intercultural Coexistence (target research project • July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2021)
- Thinking Folklore: Approaching Dialect from Folkoristic, Ethnological, and Computational Perspectives (research project • July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2021)
- Click to Homeland: a multimedia presentation of Slovenian emigrants cultural heritage on the Web (target research project • October 1, 2010 - September 30, 2012)
- EthnoCatalogue: creating semantic descriptions of Slovene folk song and music based on melodic and metro-rhythmic analysis (fundamental research project • February 1, 2008 - January 31, 2011)
- EthnoMuse: multimedia digital archive of Slovenian folk music and folk dance culture (target research program • October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2008)
- At the ZRC SAZU Postgraduate School, she teaches a course titled 'Ecoculture: Research on Animals and Nature in Folklore, Literature, and Culture”, and she coordinated the “Slovenian Studies – Tradition and Modernity” module, which she organised and developed in 2003. The programme has been running since 2004.
- Vice-president of the special international ballad research group, the Kommission für Volksdichtung, within the Société Internationale d'Ethnologie et de Folklore (2002–2017)
- President of the international association of ballad researchers, the Kommission für Volksdichtung (KfV) (2020–)
- Member of the Executive Committee of the International Society for Ethnology and Folklore: Société Internationale d'Ethnologie et de Folklore (2004–2011).
- She is a member of the Slovenian Ethnological Society and the Slovenian Matica.
- She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal "Ukrainian Art Studies: Materials, Investigations, Reviews" of the M. T. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the NAS of Ukraine