The American Folklore Society

From our inception, ALT has always been tied to, and had the chance to learn from, the American Folklore Society.

When we stopped by our first meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota (#129), we knew we found the the ideas and arguments we'd always been looking for. 

 

The American Folklore Society (AFS) is the US-based professional association for folklorists, which aims to encourage research, aid in disseminating that research, promote the responsible application of that research, publish various forms of publications, advocate for the continued study and teaching of folklore, etc. The Society is based at Indiana University and has an annual meeting every October.​

 

 

 

 

We have addressed the society twice, first with a field report in 2019 (Baltimore, #131) summarizing our yearly ALT research into American Folklore across diverse US communities. In 2020 (Tulsa, #132), we were invited to deliver a workshop lecture on the Future of Folklore, and gave our own unique take on how to leverage digital tools to increase interest in folklore. 

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From our experience creating digital content for folklore organizations, we predict that the focus of the 2020’s is going to be social change brought on by rising tension due to climate change, an increase in the wage gap, and a rise in digitally born folk beliefs that grapple with our changing relationship to the physical world. We believe relevancy for folklore will come from the programs that can connect all three.

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Over the years, prominent members of the American Folklore Society known outside academic circles have included Marius Barbeau, Franz Boas, Ben Botkin, Jan Harold Brunvand, Linda Dégh, Ella Deloria, Thomas A. DuBois, William Ferris, John Miles Foley, Joel Chandler Harris, Zora Neale Hurston, James P. Leary, Alan Lomax, John A. Lomax, Kay Turner, and Mark Twain. We're proud to be the next names mentioned in this awesome lineage. 

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Check out our partner at https://www.afsnet.org/