Emerging Perspectives in the Study of Folklore and Performance

"At last, a long-awaited fresh look at the neglected yet critically important relationship between folklore and performance studies. Presenting a range of very twenty-first century case studies, editors Otero and Buccitelli have skillfully organized diverse essays around themes that spark reader engagement with intersectional and inventive approaches melding folklore and performance. The two disciplines resound with connection and new vitality in this valuable collection. Worthy of attention by humanities scholars everywhere, this volume forecasts a surge of interest in recognizing and continuing to strengthen the bond between these sister disciplines. Do wishes (performatively) come true? Yes! This is the book I wished for in my many years as a folklorist teaching in a performance studies department."—Kay Turner, New York University
"A remarkable collection. Global in range yet attentively grounded in local expression, this is a rarity of intellectual and creative achievement. It restores concepts of performance to their rightful primacy in folklore studies while unapologetically inviting connections to broader social and critical theory—and to far-reaching political and ethical implications. It further reconvenes important conversations between folklorists and other scholars of performance in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In doing so, this collection upholds the finest academic and activist tradition. It honors the insights of the past, sagaciously attends to the concerns of the present, and most importantly, welcomes and prepares the way for future generations of scholars and performers. All who care about our world made better through courageous cultural expression will find a reason to thank the contributors for these inspiring pages."—Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, University of Massachusetts