Just Folklore: Analysis, Interpretation, Critique

Just Folklore is a remarkable collection of essays on the forms and concepts of folklore. Jokes, legends, beliefs, ballads, rituals, routines, and material objects are dissected to reveal the ways they are constructed and the meanings they can convey. Tradition, transmission, symbol, group, identity, and other key concepts in the field are scrutinized to expose hidden problems and to suggest directions that folklore studies might fruitfully explore. Although originally written for folklorists, these essays are accessible to serious students new to the field. They will provoke discussion and debate. Students can find in these essays provocative and compelling models for the analysis and interpretation of the arts and traditions of everyday life.