Hilma Granquist was a pioneering anthropologist and among the first proponents of modern women studies. She spent several years in the village of Artas staying with Louisa Baldenberger and her family. Halime’s internationally known publications on life in this village are a lasting monument to the rural Palestinian community, its folklore, songs, traditions and habits. Her main books cover the life of individuals from birth to burial and touches several aspects of family life and society as it was in the 1930’ies.

FIME is actively promoting continuing anthropological and sociological research in this particularly interesting village. Halime’s work provides a unique starting point and background information for continuing research with a well-defined time aspect, such as family distribution, immigration and emigration, building activities, continuity of the traditions at the age of the TV etc.

Currently there are no active research projects going on and the Institute is involved in publishing the proceedings of the first international conference on Hilma Granquist held in Talitha Kumi, Beit Jala in 1998 by the Halime network under the direction of Prof. Ulla Vuorela.