Advancing Folkloristics

A new anthology by three folklorists is now available from Indiana University Press. Advancing Folkloristics addresses the questions: How can folklorists contribute to contemporary political affairs, including discussions of class, race, gender and sexuality in academic and public spaces? Since the nature of folkloristics transcends binaries, can it help others develop critical personal narratives? 

The anthology, edited by Jesse A. Fivecoate, Kristina Downs, and Meredith A. E. McGriff, covers topics such as queer, feminist, and postcolonial scholarship in folkloristics. Contributors investigate how to apply folkloristic approaches in nonfolklore classrooms, how to maintain a folklorist identity without a “folklorist” job title, and how to use folkloristic knowledge to interact with others outside of the discipline. The chapters, which range from theoretical reorientations to personal experiences of folklore work, all demonstrate the kinds of work folklorists are well-suited to and promote the areas in which folkloristics is poised to expand and excel.

Advancing Folkloristics presents a clear picture of folklore studies today and articulates how it must adapt in the future. Contributions by Margaret A. Mills, Kay Turner, Andrea Kitta, Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, Cory W. Thorne, Guillermo De Los Reyes, Solimar Otero, Gregory Hansen, Betty J. Belanus, Phyllis M. May-Machunda, Anthony Guest-Scott, Anika Wilson, Wanda G. Addison, Debra Lattanzi Shutika, Lynne S. McNeill, Trevor J. Blank and Norma Elia Cantú.