ANTH225

Examines expressive, ritual and performative culture in modern America. This includes, but is not limited to, popular stories and narratives, modern American myth, music and social media, foodways, religion and supernatural beliefs, public celebrations, and material culture—all of which reflect both the history of the US and the changing pathways of diversity in America. Folklore—as a specific subfield of Anthropology—is the unofficial or popular stories which are located beneath and interwoven into official histories and institutions of power in a society. Folklore can be seen as the hidden texts of a society, the stories, beliefs and practices that happen without our awareness; they are unseen. Some of the topics to be engaged with may include: Native American folklore; campus folklore; ghost stories; urban legends; myths such as trickster stories and hero legends—both classic and novel; body modification and adornment; public celebrations and rituals; and the incorporation of folk culture in popular media.

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