Format:  Two lectures per week; one discussion section. This course will
involve an examination of various kinds of American folklore, ranging from
urban legends to children's rhymes and games to religious practices, folk
crafts, and country music. The course is organized along two lines:  a
look at the kinds (genres) of folklore found in America and a look at some
of the "folk groups" to which various Americans belong and to which they
can trace some of the folklore they maintain and cherish. Groups of
Americans can be (and often are) classified in various ways--by
occupation, by region, by gender, by ethnicity, by social class, religion,
etc. Any given individual American will likely belong to many such groups,
and his or her folklore will reflect that unique background network of
folk groups. In a field project for this course, you will be given an
opportunity to examine the folklore of a single individual and try to
understand what effect folklore has in the life of that individual.

Readings/Requirements:  Readings for the course will include Jan
Brunvand's Vanishing Hitchhiker (a study of urban legends); One Potato,
Two Potato (a study of children's folklore); The Riddle of the Amish; as
well as other readings. Requirements will include at least five
assignments made by your discussion section associate instructor, a field
project worth 25% of your grade, and a final exam.

Fulfills a COAS Arts and Humanities, Traditions and Ideas distribution
requirement.