THE PRESENT STATE OF KARAIM STUDIES - REPORT ON THE SZEGED WORKSHOP ON KARAIM STUDIES, JUNE 13TH, 2014

The last decades have witnessed growing interest in Karaim Studies. The main impetus for this renewed academic attention comes from the Karaim communities’ vigorous commitment to maintaining their cultural, religious, and historical heritage. Since the end of the last century, when changing political circumstances in the post-Soviet era opened up new possibilities and raised new expectations for ethnic and religious minorities in Central Europe, scholars of Karaim Studies have had the opportunity to participate in conferences and meetings organised by outstanding intellectual leaders of the Karaim communities in Vilnius, Warsaw, and Halich. It has proved to be beneficial for all types of Karaim studies to conduct a dialogue with the communities and provide scholarly support for the maintenance of the Karaim heritage.