Folklore Studies NEWSLETTER of the UNIVERSITY of OREGON FOLKLORE PROGRAM Spring 2009
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Folklore Studies NEWSLETTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON FOLKLORE PROGRAM Spring 2009 UO Folklore Program Widely Represented at 2008–9 Conferences rom the American Folklore WE’RE ON THE WEB! FSociety national conference to www.uoregon.edu/~flr/ the Western States Folklore Society NEWSLETTER EDITOR regional meetings and international Al Bersch events, University of Oregon Folklore ASSOCIATE EDITOR Program faculty members and students Daniel Wojcik continue to demonstrate significant CONTRIBUTORS involvement and influence on the Doug Blandy, Beth Dehn, discipline of folklore studies, earning John Fenn, Nathan notable honors and awards for their Georgitis, Joseph O’Connell presentations at numerous academic ABOUT OUR meetings. In October, the UO Folklore PROGRAM Program had a strong presence at the The University of Oregon’s Folklore Program is one American Folklore Society Conference of the nation’s most in Louisville, Kentucky (see full list Folklore archive enthusiasts at the 2008 American Folklore Society progressive centers for of presentations on page 3). This year, meeting, Louisville, Kentucky; back row, from left to right, Nathan folklore studies. The Georgitis, Erin O’Meara, John Fenn, Andy Kolovos, Daniel Wojcik; Professor Sharon Sherman was elected interdisciplinary nature front row, Ziying You, James Fox, and Casey Schmitt. of the program allows as a fellow of the American Folklore independent-minded Society (AFS), an honorary body of folklorists may contribute to the Ethnographic Archives students to design their whose election to the fellows signifies their Initiative, a larger national discussion led own programs according contributions to the field. by AFS. Fenn was joined on the panel by to their interests. Each year, students and faculty colleagues from the UO Libraries, including Tying into the “Commons and members present at Commonwealth” theme for this year’s James Fox, head of special collections, Erin conferences nationwide, conference, faculty members and students O’Meara, electronic records archivist, and publish articles, and from the University of Oregon led a lively Nathan Georgitis, metadata librarian. The produce award-winning films. The program is also discussion on the subject of “ethnographic Vermont Folklife Center’s Andy Kolovos, home to the Randall V. archives in the era of the electronic who consulted on the project, also served as Mills Archive of Northwest commonwealth.” Folklore Program faculty a panelist. Others in attendence from the UO Folklore, which houses member John Fenn chaired the session, which included Daniel Wojcik, former UO archivists nearly 20,000 documents and films. explored issues related to the management Joe O’Connell, Casey Schmitt, and Ziying of cultural heritage collections in the digital You, as well as representatives from folklore FOLKLORE PROGRAM 1287 University of Oregon domain. The Folklore Program’s collaboration archives across the United States. Eugene OR 97403-1287 with the University of Oregon Libraries on In April, graduate student Summer Pennell, the Randall V. Mills Archive of Northwest former student Jen Furl, and folklore faculty Program Secretary Cathy O’Grady Folklore provided a case study for the forum members Doug Blandy, John Fenn, and Lisa (541) 346-3911 discussion. In this project, the Folklore Gilman attended the annual meeting of the [email protected] Program will replace the Mills Archive card Association of Western States Folklorists, catalogs with the Archivists’ Toolkit data held this year at Fort Worden State Park in management system and serve as an online Townsend, Washington. Blandy was invited catalog for book collections and student to colead “Networking with Community folklore fieldwork projects. In addition, the Arts Roundtable” with Bill Cleveland, the database will allow the archive to export director of the Center for the Study of Art and finding aids for collections to the UO Libraries databases. The Mills Archive project Continued on page 3 Notes from Program Director Daniel Wojcik his past year has been an important Ttime of growth and transformation for “I am continually impressed by the University of Oregon Folklore Program, the originality of our students’ despite difficult economic conditions work, the significance of their and ensuing budget challenges. Student enrollment and interest in UO folklore final projects, and their overall studies are at an all-time high, as the enthusiasm and creativity.” interdisciplinary nature and relevance of —Daniel Wojcik our program continues to attract innovative, serious students who think beyond Daniel Wojcik disciplinary boundaries. the program’s growth, continuing the work The 2008–9 academic year was busy and of previous directors Barre Toelken and productive, and this newsletter documents Sharon Sherman. During the past three some of the many accomplishments and years, we have expanded and formalized accolades that our faculty, students, and course offerings, and doubled the number alumni have attained. This past year, faculty of participating faculty members, resulting members have published a number of in collaborative efforts across campus to important works, received various awards, build the program and support our graduate and presented papers at conferences students. We have enhanced our curriculum, nationally and internationally. Although these created a new webpage, and have updated are described in detail in the following pages, and renovated the Mills Archive. We also a few of the highlights include the following: have increased the visibility and outreach of Professor Sharon Sherman being elected a the Folklore Program by partnering with local fellow of the American Folklore Society; communities and organizing numerous public Associate Professor Lisa Gilman’s tenure in events, such as our various film and speaker the Department of English; and folklorist John series, oral history and video documentations Fenn’s recent hire as an assistant professor of local culture, guest lectures, and assorted in the Arts and Administration Program. exhibits and performances. Another important and ongoing activity is These efforts, along with the success of our our continued collaboration with the UO graduates who hold positions in academia, Libraries’ University Archives and Special museum work, video production, and Collections to enhance the visibility and public folklore, have helped with student accessibility of the holdings of the Randall V. recruitment. We currently have twenty-one Mills Archive of Northwest Folklore. graduate students including Ph.D. students Our students also have accomplished who specialize in folklore. Twelve students much in terms of presentations, publications, have graduated from our program this awards, and creative work. They have year, and eleven incoming students will continued the tradition of the “Archive join us in the fall term of 2009—our largest Hour” series and organized various public class of graduates and the largest class of events and presentations. With the students’ first-year graduate students ever. Fourteen enthusiasm and supportive efforts, our “Track undergraduate students are now pursuing the Town Traditions” events, held in conjunction certificate in folklore, also the largest number with the 2008 Olympic Team Trials in ever. The increase in students interested in Eugene, were filled to capacity and received folklore studies and the increased financial rave reviews as well as local and national support they receive has been the most media coverage. Additional updates about the fulfilling part of my term as director. I am successes of our alumni and students, as well continually impressed by the originality of as our upcoming events, may be found on our our students’ work, the significance of their webpage: www.uoregon.edu/~flr. Feel free to final projects, and their overall enthusiasm contact us with any news, and please visit us and creativity. It has been rewarding to be a if you are in town. part of this exciting time for the UO Folklore As I step down as director of the Folklore Program, and I thank all of you who have Program, I am gratified to have assisted in supported and strengthened our program. 2 FOL K LOR E STUDIE S | N E WSL E T T E R OF T H E UNIVER SI T Y OF OREGON FOLKLORE PROGRAM AMERICAN FOLKLORE WESTERN STATES FOLKLORE SOCIETY CONFERENCE SOCIETY CONFERENCE FORUM: Ethnographic Archives in the Era PAPER PRESENTATIONS of the Electronic Commonwealth (sponsored “An American Soldier’s iPod: Layers of Identity by the Archives and Libraries Section, American and Situated Listening in Iraq” (Lisa Gilman, UO Folklore Society). Chair: John Fenn (UO folklore), folklore) James Fox (UO folklore affiliate), Nathan Georgitis “Treating the Family Naturally: Pitfalls of (UO folklore), Andy Kolovos (Vermont Folklife Vernacular Authority in Digital Enclaves” (Robert Center), Erin O’Meara (University Archives and Glenn Howard, University of Wisconsin, UO Special Collections) folklore alum) PANEL: Rituals of Mourning: “‘How Will I Ever Go to Confession if I Can’t Memorialization, Self, and Society Make My Avatar Stop Dancing?’ Logging into the Sacred through Second Life” (Kate Ristau, UO “Memorialization as Protest in the Ghost Bike folklore alum) Movement” (Robert Dobler, UO folklore) “Folk Belief, Ritual, and Runners’ Traditions at the “Pre’s Rock: Ritual and Runners’ Traditions at the Roadside Shrine for Steve Prefontaine” (Daniel Roadside Memorial for Steve Prefontaine (Daniel Wojcik, UO folklore) Wojcik, UO folklore) MEDIA SESSION: Making