Folklore in the Public Square: How the Study of Traditional Culture Can Solve Contemporary Social Problems Edited by Tom Mould and Andrea Kitta

Folklore is often positioned at the center of critical social issues. While folklorists have acknowledged this power and explored how folklore has been used for political ends, far less attention has been paid to the role folklorists and folklore scholarship can play in addressing contemporary social issues in public discourse. Folklore in the Public Square (Utah State University Press, 2026) explores how folklorists apply their research to engage general audiences and address the challenging issues we face daily.

This book brings together folklorists working in the humanities and the social sciences committed to applying their research to help solve contemporary social challenges, formalizing an undercurrent of thought that has gained growing attention. Case studies apply ethical research to address pervasive questions about the environment, poverty, health and healthcare, political partisanship, war, tourism, stigma, racism, and conspiracy theories, among others. Building on conversations raised by folklorists who have contributed to public programming or conducted collaborative research in local communities, the book appeals to anyone interested in contemporary social issues, applied research, or collaborative and ethical fieldwork.

Tom Mould is professor of anthropology and folklore at Rollins College. He has authored, coauthored, or coedited nine books, including Overthrowing the Queen: Telling Stories of Welfare in America, which won the Chicago Folklore Prize and the Brian McConnell Book Award. He has engaged in public scholarship through his ethnographic videos for local PBS stations that examine folk art and culture in Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina, as well as through museum exhibits and public talks.

Andrea Kitta is a folklorist and professor at East Carolina University. Dr. Kitta is the recipient of the Bertie E. Fearing Award for Excellence in Teaching (2010–2011) and has also received a Teacher/Scholar award from ECU (2015–2016) and the Board of Governors Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award (2018–2019). Her book Vaccinations and Public Concern in History won the Brian McConnell Book Award in 2012, and The Kiss of Death won the Chicago Folklore Prize and Brian McConnell Book Award in 2020.

Contributors: Marit Ruge Bjærke, Carol Bohmer, Ben Bridges, Ian Brodie, Ann Ferrell, Jesse Fivecoate, Andrea Kitta, Kyrre Kverndokk, Todd Lawrence, Carl Lindahl, Tim Lloyd, Lynne McNeill, Lone Ree Milkær, Margaret Mills, Tom Mould, Heather Shirey, Amy Shuman, Jeannie Thomas, Libby Tucker, Langston Wilkins, Qian Xu