By 2022 blogs had become quite passé, having been surpassed by other media such as podcasts. Sound and storytelling create an immersive world that can unfold for the listener whether they are out for a walk, meditating or seeking information, no matter where they are. This is why it seemed fitting to explore the tradition of conferment ceremonies in a podcast. The podcast we created consists of 10 episodes. Some are in Finnish, some in Swedish and one in English, as we wanted to reach all those who might be interested in the theme. The podcast examines topics such as the symbols and peculiar customs of conferment ceremonies, their prominence in public spaces, opposition to the ceremonies, and the personal – and potentially collective – memories of previous ceremonies. We had the chance to interview renowned and legendary figures, such as Professors Matti Klinge and Esa Saarinen, along with a range of knowledgeable experts from various fields who provided valuable insights into the tradition.
Historians Kristina Ranki and Eva Ahl-Waris wrote the podcast script and dialogue. Although we split the responsibility for the episodes evenly, both of us ended up contributing to nearly every episode. The episodes were recorded via Zoom, in various locations using our smartphones, and in
It’s not often that my work is as inspiring and, frankly, fun as it was in autumn 2022 when we created the conferment podcast. It was an absolute pleasure to meet everyone we interviewed, reflect on our own conferment memories and pass on the joy of these ceremonies to others. It was thrilling to sit in an actual studio and have the chance to focus more than ever on crafting an engaging soundscape. We also had to consider the programme's length and, unfortunately, had to cut out some interesting material that just couldn’t be included – a classic case of ‘killing our darlings’.
We've also created short promotional videos together with Studio Soc&Kom for publication on
Text & photo: Eva Ahl-Waris, PhD
The Swedish-language text was originally published in the official Conferment Jubilee 2023 blog, ‘Där de härliga lagrarna gro’ [Crowned with Laurels]. The blog featured short articles on the traditions, history and current state of conferment ceremonies. Its editor was Eva Ahl-Waris, PhD.