Scand 334: Immigrant & Ethnic Folklore
Instructor Lars Jenner, Office Raitt 305 U, Office hours: by appointment
Email larsj5@uw.edu, telephone 206-552-1973
Course Description
Students in this course study the folklore traditions of immigrant and ethnic communities mainly in North America. One among several perspectives we think about is how their/our cultural identity relates to human unity and diversity. Theories of ethnic folklore research and interpretations of traditions will be evaluated and applied to the study of living folklore traditions. We emphasize Scandinavian immigrant and ethnic folklore, but many other folk groups are also included.
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett tells us “Studying Immigrant and Ethnic Folklore” can be arranged in three basic ways:
- Folklore of the Immigrant Experience ~ various transformations
- The Folklore Heritage of Immigrants ~ inherited traditions
- The Folklore of Ethnicity ~cultural difference, boundaries, multiple cultural repertoires, code switching.
In a broad perspective, these three approaches will help us arrange our thinking about the material we encounter. We do have an emphasis on Scandinavian culture, but many of the articles we read cover other cultures. In your fieldwork, you are free to choose the ethnic group(s) you wish to concentrate on.
Course Objectives
- Learn about people and traditions through the historical background of North European immigrant and ethnic communities in America, as well as a variety of other peoples, and study examples of folk traditions practiced or remembered in these communities.
- Encounter theories and interpretations of ethnic identity through a variety of approaches to the study of immigrant and ethnic folklore
- Experience the methods of folklore research by observing and interview living people in the "field" to compile information about folklore traditions in immigrant and ethnic communities.
- Compile ethnographic documentation and interpret living folk traditions
Grades
Class Participation (presentations, online posts) 25%
Midterm exam 25%
Three fieldwork reports 25%
Final exam = fieldwork portfolio and oral report 25%
Readings will be provided as PDFs.
Preparation for the course may include thinking about an immigrant/ethnic group you are interested in learning more about through fieldwork. The main assignments are fieldwork-based.