URBAN FOLKLORE

FLK 371 Folk Studies Fall 2011 MWF 12:40 PM to 1:35 PM FAC 249 WKU

INSTRUCTOR
JenniferJoyJameson FolkStudiesM.A.Program EMAIL:missjameson@gmail.com MAILBOX:FAC237 OFFICEHOURS:Fridays,1:352:35p.m.orbyappointment

INTRODUCTION
URBANFOLKLOREisacourseexaminingemergentaestheticandexpressive traditionsoccurringintheeverydaylifeofAmericans,andtheirvarious communities.Wewillexaminewhen,where,andhowfolkloreemergesin contemporaryAmericansocietyandhowsuchnewfolklorecanbeunderstoodin termsoftraditionalformsandstructures.Wewillcontinuallyaskwhatwecanlearn aboutcontemporaryfears,values,issues,andconcernsbyexaminingfolklore. Inthisclass,wellbelearningresearchtoolsandethnographictechniquesthatyou canutilizeincreativeandeffectivewaysthroughoutyourlife.Asyourinstructor,I encourageyoutomaketheseclassprojectsyourown!Buildonthemevenafterthe courseisoverandletthemserveasportfoliopiecesinyourfuturecareer(s). Undergraduateprojectscanbegamechangersinyourcareerpath.Thisclass(and others)willbewhatyoumakeofit!

COURSE GOALS
Studentswillthinkcriticallyanddemonstratetheirunderstandingofthe varietiesandcharacteristicsofemergentandcontemporaryAmerican folklore. Studentswillhaveatestablegraspofthedisciplineandlensoffolkloristics, demonstratingtheirunderstandingthroughavarietyofassignmentsin supportofthisendeavor. Studentswillbeabletoidentify,explain,andanalyzeformsofemergent folkloreincludinglegends,customs,beliefs,art,foodways,andotherloreof todaysregional,occupational,andethnic(etc.)groups. Studentswillconductethnographicprojectsinwhichtheylldocumentand interprettheculturaltraditionsandfolkwaysofanindividualorgroup.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
MidtermExam 20pts. FinalExam 20pts. Examswillbebasedonclassreadings,lectures,films,anddiscussions. Quizzes(unannounced) 20pts. Highest10;quizzescannotbemadeupunderanycircumstances. Papers 30pts. 1paperat10points,theotherat20.Youwillbegivenspecificsonpapers. Participation+Attendance 10pts. Attendance,participationinclassdiscussion,andotherformsofparticipation willbekeytoyoursuccessinthisclass! TOTALPOSSIBLE 100pts.
*Pleasebeawarethatassignmentsmaybecheckedwithplagiarismdetectionsoftware. *Imayoccasionallymakeextracreditassignmentsavailable.

TEXTBOOK + COURSE READINGS

Kitchener,AmyV.1994.TheHolidayYardsofFlorencioMorales.Jackson:University PressofMississippi. AllotherreadingswillbeavailableviaourclassBlackboardpage,and/orvia databasessuchasJSTORontheWKULibrarieswebpage.

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Eachandeveryunexcusedabsencebeyond3willresultin1pointsubtractedfrom yourparticipationgrade.Excusedabsencesincludemedicalandfamily emergenciesanduniquecircumstancesinwhichyouandImakeaprioragreement. Beinglateforclassmayresultinanabsencefortheday.Ifyouareabsent,youare responsibleforconsultingwithyourclassmatesaboutwhatyouvemissedand/or meetingwithmeduringmyofficehours.Studentswhoarrivelateshouldcheck withmeafterclasstomakesureyourarrivalwasnoted.Dontforget!

LATE WORK + MAKE-UP EXAMS

Allpapersandexamsmustbeturnedinontime.Writtenworkthatisturnedinlate willbemarkeddownonefullgrade(fromaBtoaCforexample)foreachclassitis late.Lateworkmaybeturnedinwithoutpenaltyonlyinthecaseofprior consultationforlegitimatereasons(contactmeinpersonorbyemailorphoneprior tomissingtheduedateforapaperoranexam),orinthecaseofseriousemergency withdocumentation.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Pleasesilenceallcellphonesandotherelectronicdevicesbeforecomingtoclass. Obviously,youmaynotusesuchdevicesduringclass,unlessdirected(i.e.partofa classexercise).Theuseoflaptopsfornotetakingispermissible;however,students usinglaptopsforotherpurposesduringclasswilllosethisprivilege.

FOLKLORE MINOR + FOLK STUDIES CLUB

StudentsatWKUhavetheopportunitytotakeavarietyoffolkloreclassesandmay alsominorinfolklore.AFolkloreMinorisfun,challenging,andgivesaunique perspectiveoncontemporaryAmericanlife.Italsohelpsdevelopimportantcritical andproblemsolvingskillsforuseinthecomplexpersonal,social,occupationaland politicalenvironmentsinwhichweliveandwork.Theseskillswillmakeyouabetter candidateforemployment,foradmissionintograduateprogramsinmanyfields,and foradvancementonjustaboutanycareerpath.CoursesincludeCulturalDiversity, UrbanFolklore,Foodways,RootsofSouthernCulture,FolkArt,Supernatural Folklore,AfricanAmericanFolklore,andmanyothers.TheDepartmentofFolk StudiesandAnthropologyalsooffersanM.A.inFolklore.Formoreinformation,see anyFolkStudiesfacultymemberorgotowww.wku.edu/folkstudies.

POPULAR CULTURE STUDIES

ThiscoursecountsasanelectiveinthemajorinPopularCultureStudies.The PopularCultureprogramoffersWKUundergraduatesthechancetobroadentheir understandingoftheartsandcultureofeverydaylifeincludingsuchareasas television,film,music,sports,advertising,customsandrituals.Throughinnovative interdisciplinarycourseworkthemajorhelpsstudentscriticallyanalyzeawide rangeofpopularculturalforms,theirusesbyaudiences,andtheirimpactonthe broadersocial,politicalandeconomiclandscape.Ifyouareinterestedinlearning moreaboutthisexcitingandinnovativeprogram,contactyourinstructororcheck outthePopularCultureStudieswebsiteatwww.wku.edu/pop.

WOMENS STUDIES
TheWomensStudiesProgram,offeringanundergraduateminor,broadens womensandmensknowledgeofgenderdynamics,globallyandhistorically,with anemphasisonissuescentraltowomenslives.Throughaninterdisciplinary classroomexperience,communityoutreach,andspecialevents,theWomens StudiesProgramadvancesunderstandingofthesocialandculturalinstitutionsand practicesthataffectus.Formoreinformation,seetheWomensStudieswebsiteat www.wku.edu/Dept/Academic/womenstudies.

THE LEARNING CENTER (TLC)

Shouldyourequireacademicassistancewiththiscourse,oranyGenEdcourse, thereareseveralplacesthatcanprovideyouwithhelp.TLCtutorsareavailablein mostundergraduatesubjectsandcourselevels.TLCislocatedintheAcademic AdvisingandRetentionCenter,DUCA339.Phone7456254,www.wku.edu/tlc. Hours:MTH8a.m.9p.m.,F84,Sun49.

STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES

Incompliancewithuniversitypolicy,studentswithdisabilitieswhorequire accommodations(academicadjustmentsand/orauxiliaryaidsorservices)forthis coursemustcontacttheOfficeforStudentDisabilityServicesinDUCA200ofthe StudentSuccessCenterinDowningUniversityCenter.PleaseDONOTrequest 3

accommodationsdirectlyfromtheprofessororinstructorwithoutaletterof accommodationfromtheOfficeforStudentDisabilityServices.

FOLKLORE (+ more) To Go:

TheAmericanFolkloreSociety:afsnet.org TheprimaryscholarlysocietyforfolklorestudiesintheUnitedStates.AFSpublishes theJournalofAmericanFolklore. AmericanFolklifeCenterattheLibraryofCongress:loc.gov/folklife Importantnationalresourcecenterandrepositoryforfolklore/folklifestudies FolkStreams:FolkStreams.net ThefolkloristsNetflix!(Itsfree!) StoryCorps:storycorps.org OralhistoryprojectcarriedoutbyNationalPublicRadio+AmericanFolklifeCenter SmithsonianInstitution,CenterforFolklife&CulturalHeritage:folklife.si.edu Importantnationalcenterforresearchandpublicprogramminginfolklore, ethnomusicology,anthropology,etc. SmithsonianFolklifeFestival:festival.si.edu AprominentfolklifefestivaltakingplaceannuallyontheNationalMallin Washington,DC SmithsonianFolkwaysRecordings:folkways.si.edu RecordlabeloftheSmithsonian;Folkwaysreleasesexcellenthistoricaland presentdayethnographicrecordings Appalshop(KY):appalshop.org GrassrootsmediacenterinEasternKy.,documentingandreportingoncultureand politicsthroughouttheAppalachianregion. AssociationforCulturalEquity(AlanLomaxArchives):culturalequity.org Researchcenterandarchivecenteredontheworkofkeyfolklorist,AlanLomax DusttoDigital:dustdigital.com Ethnographicandrarerecordings AtlasObscura:atlasobscura.com Jennifersfavoritetraveltip! FieldTripSouth,SouthernFolklifeCollection:lib.unc.edu/blogs/sfc ExcellentblogwrittenbythearchivalstaffofUNC'sSouthernFolklifeCollection TheArtoftheRural:theruralsite.blogspot.com Greatblogonthecomplexitiesof"rural"artsinthe21stcentury TheBoiledDownJuice:meredithmartin.com/blog AWKUFolkStudiesMAalumnawritesthislovelyblogfocusedonthemergingof folkloreandsocialjustice! RootHogorDie:roothogordie.wordpress.com AlanLomaxarchivist/Louisvillian,NathanSalsburg'sexcellentmusicblogon ethnographicandrarerecordings"Oldtime,hardtime,goodtime."

TECHTIP:YoucanlikeallofthesewebsitesandinstitutionsonFacebook,and
receivetheirblogpostsandupdatesthroughyournewsfeed.

COURSE SCHEDULE
Ireservetherighttomakechangestothissyllabus,andwillnotifyyouin advanceofdoingso. Pleasenotethatreadingsarelistedbyweekinordertoallowustimetospeedupor slowdownasneeded.EachweekIwillannouncethespecificdateonwhichreadings aredue.Youmustbringreadingstoclass! WEEK1 Aug.29,31,Sept.2Introductions,Overview+FieldworkProcesses WhatisFolklore?TheAmericanFolkloreSociety(website) WhatdoFolkloristsDo?TheAmericanFolkloreSociety(website) FolklifeandFieldwork:AnIntroductiontoFieldTechniques.2002.TheAmerican FolklifeCenter,LibraryofCongress.(websiteorPDF) Dundes,Alan.1977.WhoaretheFolk?

Start of Labor Day Weekend, with 2 excellent, regional, FREE folk festivals:
WEEK2 Sept.5,7,9 UrbanFolklore+ContemporaryLegend Monday, Sept. 5: LABOR DAY! N O CLAS S Dundes,Alan.1965.WhatisFolklore? Brunvand,JanHarold.1989.Chapter1:NewLegendsforOld Chapter3:TheHook&OtherTeenageHorrors WEEK3 Sept.12,14,16 FoodwaysI:Tradition+Creativity Adler,Betsy.1981.CreativeEating:TheOreoSyndrome Lloyd,Timothy.1981.TheCincinnatiChiliComplex Adler,ThomasA.1981.MakingPancakesonSunday:TheMaleCookinFamily Tradition WEEK4 Sept.19,21,23 FoodwaysII:Contamination+Disgust Brunvand,JanHarold.1989.Chapter4:DreadfulContaminations Fine,GaryAlan.1980.KentuckyFriedRat:LegendsandModernSociety Jones,MichaelOwen.2000.What'sDisgusting,Why,andWhatDoesItMatter? WEEK5 Sept.26,28,30 MusicforModerns:TheFolkloreofMusical Communities Jameson,JenniferJoy.2011.YoursfortheCarters,:FreemanKitchensandthe CarterFamilyFanClub Keyes,CherylL.1993.WereMorethanaNovelty,Boys:StrategiesofFemale RappersintheRapMusicTradition Inclassviewing:StyleWars(1984),DirectedbyHenryChalfantandTonySilver

National Folk Festival - Nashville, TN (National Council for Traditional Arts) www.nationalfolkfestival.com Memphis Music & Heritage Festival - Memphis, TN (Center for Southern Folklore) www.southernfolklore.com

WEEK6 Oct.3,5,7 MidtermWeek Review+Inclassviewing:StyleWars,contd Midterm Friday, Oct. 7: FALL BREAK! N O CLAS S WEEK7 Oct.10,12,14 AFSWeek Variousnewsarticles:MOCAArtintheStreetsexhibit;theSurfingMadonna Oct. 12-14: Jennifer @ the American Folklore Society conference, N O CLAS S WEEK8 Oct.17,19,21 ArtofthePeopleI: ThinkingthroughthePinkFlamingo Foodways paper due in class Kitchener,AmyV.TheHolidayYardsofFlorencioMorales. Thomas,JeannieBanks.2003.YardArt:GeeseinBikinis,GardenGnomes,and PeeingBoys(Excerpts:p.5662,7691) Inclassviewing:WildWheels(1992),DirectedbyHarrodBlank WEEK9 Oct.24,26,28 ArtofthePeopleII:CropArt, SubversiveStitching,andtheArtoftheFlow Taylor,MichaelC.2010.GodAlmighty,ItsaGoodFeelingLowridingas Experience Sheehy,Colleen.2007.ExcerptsfromSeedQueen:TheStoryofCropArtandthe AmazingLillianColton. Abrahams,SarahL.2008.ExcerptsfromHandmadeOnline:TheCraftingof Commerce,AestheticsandCommunityonEtsy.com. Inclassviewing:HandmadeNation(2009),DirectedbyFaytheLevine WEEK10 Oct.31,Nov.2,4 Ritual,Custom+FolkBelief Wojcik,Daniel.1996.PolaroidsfromHeaven:Photography,FolkReligion,andthe MiraculousImageTraditionataMarianApparitionSite Dewan,WilliamJ.2006.ASaucerfulofSecrets:AnInterdisciplinaryAnalysisof UFOExperiences Primiano,LeonardNorman.1995.VernacularReligionandtheSearchforMethod inReligiousFolklife WEEK11 Nov.7,9,11 FolkloreonFacebook Dobler,Robert.2009.GhostsintheMachine:MourningtheMySpaceDead Frank,Russell.2009.TheForwardasFolklore:StudyingEMailedHumor Foote,Monica.2007.Userpicks:CyberFolkArtintheEarly21st Century WEEK12Nov.14,16,18 CommodificationandConsumerism Inclassviewing:PeoplesStuff(1992),DirectedbyLeAnnErickson Goldstein,Diane.2007.TheCommodificationofBelief Stromberg,Peter.1990.ElvisAlive?:TheIdeologyofAmericanConsumerism

WEEK13 Nov.21,23,25 RethinkingHolidayTraditions TBAandInclassviewing: TenThousandPointsofLight(2010),DirectedbyGeorgeKing Nov. 23 thru Nov. 25: THANKSGIVING BREAK! N O CLAS S WEEK14 Nov.28,30,Dec.2DisasterandCrisis Oring,Eliot.1987.JokesandtheDiscourseonDisaster Hathaway,RosemaryV.2005.LifeintheTV:TheVisualNatureof9/11Loreand ItsImpactonVernacularResponse Parker,Kate.2010.LegendsatWork,PostKatrina(website) FinalProjectPresentationsDay1 WEEK15 Dec.5,7,9 FinalProjectPresentations Final papers due in class FinalProjectPresentationsDay2 FinalProjectPresentationsDay3 FinalExamReview FINALSWEEK Dec.1216 DateoffinalTBA.