This class offers a vision of folklore in all its variety and
splendor, through four powerful lenses: community, tradition, art,
and performance. The lens of community alerts us to the fact that
folklore springs from people sharing a sense of common destiny. The
lens of tradition shows us that folklore connects the past, present,
and future. The lens of art reminds us that folklore is created by
clever humans. And the lens of performance tells us that folklore
happens in specific social settings. Putting these images together,
we see that folklore is a useful and appealing instrument in the
conduct of human affairs.
We examine the folk group as the place where folklore lives groups
small and large, from family and friends to occupational groups,
ethnic and regional groups, and even nationalities. We explore the
different forms or genres of traditional expression – as manifested
in words, objects, thoughts, and movement of the body -- and seek to
identify the artistic codes and human values embedded within them. We
inspect the ways in which traditions are created, maintained, and
changed over time. We observe the dynamic interaction of folk artists
and their audiences.
In the end, we try to pinpoint a stylistics of folk expression
isolating what is different, and special, about these modes of
communication. And we explore the role of folklore in the modern
world, noting its vital contribution to a sense of place and
belonging, all the more cherished in these times of rapid social and
technological change.
The most distinctive feature of this class is the field project,
which allows the student to experience the thrills, frustrations, and
rewards of carrying out fresh ethnographic research.
Students will propose a topic, make a field

collection, and provide a discussion of their data, all with ample
instruction and guidance from the professor and the discussion
section leaders.
Grades are determined on the following percentages:
Quizzes, class exercises:          10%
Exams (mid-term and final)         25% each (=50% total)
The field project:                 30%

Discussion section                 10%