The Soul of a Folklorist Historical Moments, Political Representation, and the Weight of Social Responsibility

"The Soul of A Folklorist is a badly needed book on the development of folklore, an extremely important part of the recent history of American folklore studies."-Jerrold Hirsch, author of Portrait of America: A Cultural History of the Federal Writers' Project

"The case studies and the interviews in The Soul of a Folklorist provide an important examination of a field which is often misunderstood, strives to be taken seriously in academia, and at the same time, has impacted hundreds if not thousands of communities and individuals in the United States through recognition, respect, and in many cases, with financial support which has helped to provide sustainability and recognition of vital traditions, customs, and cultures and the people who carry them."-Susan K. Eleuterio, author of Irish American Material Culture

"Drawing upon extensive research and interviews, The Soul of A Folklorist examines the changing values, practices and scholarly assumptions of the field in the latter half of the 20th century through a series of nuanced and provocative case studies. An essential read for anyone engaged in public folklore or interested in the history of American folklore studies."-Elizabeth Peterson, former Director of the American Folklife Center

"The Soul Of a Folklorist admirably narrates the complexities of advocacy that US folklorists have engaged with in the last 50 years. Full of thorough detail and contextual insight, it is a definitive and much-needed work."-Timothy Lloyd, former Exeuctive Director of the American Folklore Society

"Carefully researched and compellingly written, The Soul of a Folklorist offers a prescient clarion call not just for how we can face the social and political challenges of the day, but how we must."-Tom Mould, Professor of Anthropology and Folklore, Rollins College