Folklore and “Social Activism”

[Assefa Tefera Dibaba]

Greetings!

During the movement known as Toward New Perspective in Folklore Studies in 1970s, Americo Paredes taught folklore should be used to promote “social activism.” He was to mean, if I am right, that folklore could not any longer aestheticize when there was/is a suffering human condition compelling the folklorist! And some commented ‘advocacy’ distorts inquiries both in public sectors and in academic works. But has American folklore study ever been apolitical, or even political anyway? 

[Author]

Posts