Membership
The American Folklore Society is an international professional network serving the field of folklore, open to anyone working to understand or advance expressive cultural traditions and the communities that sustain them. Our strength lives in our members, as we work to support them, their work, and our field.
You can also choose to only pay section dues, or make a contribution to a section.
Looking for details? Learn about the benefits of membership and explore membership categories and dues. If you need financial support, you can apply for a membership fee waiver.
Our Community
Folklore Works
The American Folklore Society works every day to amplify our members and the work they do to advance the understanding of folklore and cultural traditions.
Join us
Join our network! Find your people, make connections, and keep track of developments in our field via our membership site.
International Sponsorship
To ease restrictions for those who live outside the United States, members can contribute to a fund for the sponsorship of international members. Your $75 contribution allows us to provide full benefits to one international member.
Why join the American Folklore Society?
Be part of the premier professional society in the world devoted to folklore. As a member of the society, you’ll get connected to our community and receive numerous member benefits. Most of our members say they belong to the Society to express their professional identity, to build professional and personal relationships, and to keep abreast of new research in folklore studies.
Plus, you’ll be eligible to receive AFS prizes, and you can make your voice heard by voting in Society elections, running for Society office, or serving as a member of one of the Society’s committees or working groups.
Sections
As a member, you can join the conversation in any of our more than 30 Sections, groups that serve as gathering places for special interests.
AFS has been the means for me to build a professional and personal network with colleagues and friends in our field, and the Society’s activities to strengthen and communicate about our field have always multiplied the value of my personal work.
Tim Lloyd
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Member Benefits
As a member of the American Folklore Society, you'll receive many benefits, which can be accessed and managed through our Membership Portal.
Sign in to access your benefits -
Journal of American Folklore
Members receive 4 print issues per year of the Journal of American Folklore, widely recognized as the leading journal in our field. Or, opt out of mailings to save paper and access the journal online!
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JSTOR's Folklore Journals
FREE online access to JSTOR's folklore journals. Enjoy fully-searchable digital back issues of four of the world's major English-language folklore journals—Folklore, the Journal of American Folklore, the Journal of Folklore Research, and Western Folklore.
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JAF in ProjectMUSE
FREE online access to full-text, searchable versions of current and recent past issues of the Journal of American Folklore via Project MUSE (learn more about Project MUSE or sign in to get access).
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AFS Webinars
Get free or discounted access to upcoming webinars sponsored by AFS, and access content from past webinars
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Annual Meeting Registration
A substantial discount on registration for the Society’s annual meeting, the high point of many AFS members’ professional year.
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Discount on JSTOR's JPASS
Subscribe to JSTOR's JPASS service for just $99/year, a 50% savings off the regular annual price. Get full access to more than 1,500 journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Designed for those without institutional access to the JSTOR archival collections, JPASS is ideal for society members working outside of the academy, and for adjuncts with sporadic access to library resources.
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Discount on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Members can access a coupon code for a 20% discount on purchases from the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings catalog.
Membership Categories and Dues
AFS members pay dues on an annual basis; automated and/or monthly payment options are available through our Member Portal. Check payments can be mailed to: American Folklore Society, 800 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405.
Dues Rates
Regular: $135
Retired: $105
Independent or Contingent: $105
(members of this type are encouraged to join the Independent Folklorists’ Section)
New Professional: $90
(within 5 years of a professional degree or otherwise new to the profession)
Underwaged: $55
Student: $55
(applicants must include a photo of their student IDs or other proof of student status)
Life: $2700 (one-time payment)
Need financial support?
Complete this form to apply for a membership dues fee waiver. If registration fees might prevent your participation in the Annual Meeting, there are also options for Annual Meeting financial support.
Prefer to join on paper?
Contact us for a printable form that can be mailed in with your payment.
Looking for your receipts?
Sign in to access records of your previous membership dues payments, donations, and other order history (including AFS Section dues paid through the store, and Annual Meeting registration fees).
Questions about membership? Contact us at [email protected] or by phone at 812-856-2379.