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College of Arts
and Sciences (College)
2008–2010
Academic Bulletin

College Programs
College of Arts and Sciences (College) 
Kirkwood Hall 104 
130 S. Woodlawn 
Bloomington, IN 47405  
Local (812) 855-1821 
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Folklore and Ethnomusicology

Faculty
Introduction
Major in Folklore
Minor in Folklore
Course Descriptions
Related Courses

Faculty

Chairperson

Professor Portia Maultsby

Director, Folklore Institute

Professor Sandra Dolby

Director, Ethnomusicology Institute

Professor Portia Maultsby

College Professor

Henry H. Glassie

Distinguished Professors

Richard Bauman, Linda Dégh (Emerita)

Laura Boulton Professor

Ruth M. Stone

Professors

Mary Ellen Brown (Emerita), Mellonee Burnim, Sandra K. Dolby, Hasan M.
El-Shamy, William Hansen (Emeritus, Classical Studies), Roger L. Janelli (Emeritus), George List (Emeritus), Portia K. Maultsby, John H. McDowell, Lewis Rowell (Emeritus, Music), Beverly J. Stoeltje (Anthropology), William Wiggins, Jr. (Emeritus, African American and African Diaspora Studies)

Associate Professors

Jason Baird Jackson, John W. Johnson (Emeritus), Daniel B. Reed, Gregory A. Schrempp, Pravina Shukla

Assistant Professors

Judah Cohen, Michael Foster, Javier León, David Delgado Shorter

Adjunct Professors

John Bodnar (History), Raymond DeMallie (Anthropology), Iris Rosa (African American and African Diaspora Studies), Anya Peterson Royce (Anthropology)

Adjunct Associate Professor

Michael Evans (Journalism), Jane E. Goodman (Communication and Culture), Stephanie C. Kane (Criminal Justice), Susan Seizer (Communication and Culture)

Adjunct Assistant Professors

Lynn M. Hooker (Hungarian Studies)

Associate Scholar

Inta Gale Carpenter

Senior Lecturer

Sue Tuohy

Lecturer

Fernando Orejuela

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Mellonee Burnim (812) 855-4258

Academic Advising

Krystie Herndon, 501 N. Park Avenue, (812) 856-4621

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Introduction

The folklore/ethnomusicology major includes the study of performance, specific cultures and regions, human diversity and worldview, and research methods. Folklore and ethnomusicology emphasize fieldwork methods to learn how societies function. Fieldwork involves documenting and learning about people's lives, expressions, and beliefs in context. Through the study of different social groups and cultures, students gain skills in observation, analysis, documentation, reporting, and multicultural understanding. The study of folklore and ethnomusicology taps capacities we possess as human beings and develops the qualities we need to be informed and responsible people.

"Folk" can refer to any group of people—from any economic, religious, generational, or ethnic background—who share a common interest. As a form of communication, folklore is created when people interact with one another. "Lore" represents the knowledge and artistry of a group in forms such as stories and jokes, art, architecture, music, dance, custom, belief, ritual, and festival. Folklore interprets, diffuses, or incites pressure points in modern society.

Ethnomusicology is the study of music of all types and from all cultures. Ethnomusicologists not only listen to the sounds of music within particular cultures and events but also inquire into people's ideas and beliefs about music. Ethnomusicology explores the role of music in human life, analyzes relationships between music and culture, and studies music cross-culturally.

Many courses in folklore and ethnomusicology fulfill distribution and culture studies requirements. There are opportunities for direct student-faculty contact through individual and collaborative research, such as fieldwork projects, specially designed readings courses, internships in arts and cultural organizations, and performance. Students may make use of the department's archives and state-of-the-art laboratory for sound-video analysis and production.

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Major in Folklore

Purpose

The major provides students with a liberal arts background, preparing them for a range of careers, including those involving the arts, education, historic preservation, communication, cross-cultural understanding, and human diversity and relations. Upon entering the program, the student and undergraduate advisor plan an individualized program of study. Majors may focus on either ethnomusicology or folklore, or a combination of the two.

Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in folklore and ethnomusicology courses, including:

  1. F401.
  2. F497.
  3. Two 300-level courses.
  4. One additional 400-level course.
  5. A maximum of 6 credit hours at the 100 level.
  6. A maximum of two approved courses from other disciplines for students completing a single major in folklore. Students completing a double major must consult with advisors in each major regarding stipulations.

Students must also complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Double Major

Students may combine the study of folklore and ethnomusicology with degrees in other departments. The requirements for the Major in Folklore are the same for the double major as for the single major.

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Minor in Folklore

Students must complete at least 15 credit hours in folklore and ethnomusicology courses, including:

  1. F401.
  2. One 300-level course.
  3. Three additional courses with no more than two at the 100 level.

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Course Descriptions

Note: Prerequisites for any 300- or 400-level course are indicated in the online Schedule of Classes when the course is offered. If no prerequisite or special permission is indicated, the student may assume that none is required.

F101 Introduction to Folklore (3 cr.) A & H A view of the main forms and varieties of folklore and folk expression in tales, ballads, gestures, beliefs, games, proverbs, riddles, and traditional arts and crafts. The role of folklore in the life of human beings.

F111 World Music and Culture (3 cr.) A & H Introduction to ethnomusicology and the cross-cultural study of music and culture. Explores music, performance, and ideas from around the world. Analyzes the role music plays in human life, including a variety of social, political, and personal contexts. Music training is not required.

F112 Black Music of Two Worlds (3 cr.) A & H, CSA An exploration of the relationships among musics of West African people and their descendents in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Emphasis placed on the conceptual uniformity of musical expression throughout West Africa and its diaspora, necessitating an understanding of the musical creators and their system of musical values in order to accurately interpret the musical product. Credit given for only one of F112 or AAAD A112.

F121 World Arts and Cultures (3 cr.) S & H Surveying the customary arts of the world's peoples offers a means of comprehending the human condition today. This course explores how culture is made manifest, especially in such media as landscapes, architecture, material culture, and expressive performances. A sampling of world arts, it also provides an introduction to folklore studies.

F131 Introduction to Folklore in the United States (3 cr.) A & H Folklore and traditional expressive behavior in the United States. Traditional arts, ideas, and practices of folk groups in the United States, including ethnic, occupational, regional, and religious groups.

F205 Folklore in Video and Film (3 cr.) A & H, TFR Acquaints students with a few of the current systems of folk belief diffused, reinforced, and, in some cases, originated by film and video, both in the form of the documentary and the feature-length drama. Aids students in the process of thinking and writing critically about the content, meaning, and social function of these modern forms of information systems.

F210 Myth, Legend, and Popular Science (3 cr.) S & H Compares three genres—myths, legends, and popular science—and asks about the ways in which they converge and diverge, and about the features of each that might lead us to believe their claims.

F215 Health and Morbidity in Traditional Cultures (3 cr.) S & H Focuses on concepts of health and illness in traditional cultures and societies. Addresses a variety of cross-cultural situations from the East and the West; special emphasis on Middle Eastern Arab traditions (Muslim, Christian, and Jewish). A student may conduct research on a traditional community in any part of the world.

F225 Forms of Commemoration (3 cr.) A & H Examines forms of commemoration in order to define their essential features and to describe how they operate in society. Highlights folk commemoration, those informal modes of remembrance that are a part of community tradition.

F230 Music in Social Movements (3 cr.) S & H Examines music in sociopolitical movements, ranging from political and cultural revolutions to government-sponsored campaigns, environmental, and social activism. Explores concepts about the transformative power of music and of organized groups of people, analyzing the practices of movements aimed at changing perception and behavior.

F235 Personal Narratives: A Course in Folklore and Literature (3 cr.)
A & H
Examines how writers and oral storytellers use personal experience narratives. Though personal narratives are not traditional, they can be studied using the concepts and methods developed to study both folklore and literature.

F252 Folklore and the Humanities (3 cr.) A & H Basic theoretical approaches to the study of folklore, emphasizing the relationship to other humanistic disciplines such as literary and religious studies and history. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits when topics vary.

F253 Folklore and the Social Sciences (3 cr.) S & H Basic theoretical approaches to the study of folklore, emphasizing the relationship to other social science disciplines such as semiotics and anthropology. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits when topics vary.

F275 Indigenous Worldviews (3 cr.) S & H, CSA A survey of some basic aspects of indigenous lifeways, this course introduces comparative cultural analysis, providing a foundational course for those interested in thinking about how others think and how we think about otherness. Students will examine mythology, ritual, health, art, and philosophy within the context of colonialism and globalization.

F290 Myth, Ritual, Symbol (3 cr.) S & H Regardless of culture or religion, the triad of myth, ritual, and symbol encompass the ways all humans come to understand their societies and themselves. This class offers a cross-cultural, humanistic, and interdisciplinary approach to learning how we believe and know through stories, ceremonies, and art.

F295 Survey of Hip Hop (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Examines rap music and hip hop culture as artistic and sociocultural phenomena with emphasis on historical, cultural, economic, and political contexts. Topics include the coexistence of various hip hop styles, their appropriation by the music industry, and controversies resulting from the exploitation of hip hop music and culture as a commodity for national and global consumption. Credit given for only one of FOLK F295 and AAAD A295.

F301 African Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Folklore, folklife, or folk music as aspects of African culture. The functions of folklore forms and performances within traditional societies and emergent nations. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F305 Asian Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Forms and functions of folklore, folklife, or folk music in the traditional and developing societies of Asia. Folklore as a reflection of culture. Relationship between folklore forms and belief systems in Asia. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F307 Middle Eastern Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Folk traditions of the Arabic, Persian- and Turkish-speaking peoples, including folk festivals, rituals, folk dances, music, theatre, and verbal behaviors; the influence of Islam. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits when topics vary.

F308 Middle Eastern and Arab Mythology (3 cr.) A & H Examines "mythological" belief systems and related manifestations that exist as quasi-formal religious ideologies in Middle Eastern communities. Emphasis is placed on Arab and Moslem groups. (Other groups may be selected for the student's research. Arabic language may be selected on individual basis for reading/research.)

F312 European Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSB Expressions of regional cultures and emerging nations of Europe. Social functions of folklore and folk music in rural and urban communities. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits when topics vary.

F315 Latin American Folklore/Folklife/ Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Cultural and functional analysis of traditional folklore or music genres developed in the cultures of Latin America. Emphasis on origin and the diffusion of folklore, folklife, and folk music as well as the peoples. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F320 Pacific Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Folklore, folklife, music, and dance of Australia, New Zealand, and native Oceanic societies. Topics include the cultures of aboriginal and settler populations, retention and adaptation of aboriginal materials, and the emergence of "native" traditions among the settler and immigrant groups. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F330 Folk Culture and Related Fields (3 cr.) S & H Studies of folk culture in relationship to other fields. Focuses on such interdisciplinary topics as folk culture in relationship to language, literature, psychology, history, religion, sociology, musicology, or anthropology. May be repeated with a different topic for a total of 6 credit hours.

F351 North American Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Folk and popular traditions of the United States and Canada. Topics include the social base of American folklore, prominent genres of American folklore, folklife, and folk music, national or regional character, and American folk style. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F352 Native American Folklore/Folklife/ Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Comparative examination of various verbal, musical, and dance forms of Native American societies. Consideration of cultural systems of Native Americans within the context of general American culture. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F353 Native American Film and Video (3 cr.) S & H, CSA Introduction to the study of Native American images and representations. Focuses on ethnographic, documentary, animated, and feature films from 1920 to the present. Surveying the themes of assimilation, contemporary politics, and religiosity, students will watch films, read articles, and response to both mediums critically.

F354 African American Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA African American culture in the United States viewed in terms of history and social change. Folklore, folk music, and oral history as means of illuminating black culture and history. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F356 Chicano Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA The folk traditions of Mexican Americans as a reflection of the historical experience and cultural identity of this people within the United States. Mexican heritage, Anglo and black influences, and the blending of these elements into a unique cultural entity. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F358 Jewish Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Study of Jewish experience throughout the ages as reflected in the folklore of biblical, talmudic, and midrashic materials and in medieval and contemporary settings, including America. Analysis of folkloric expression in religion, literature, humor, music, folklife, and art. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F359 Exploring Jewish Identity Today (3 cr.) S & H, CSA When people describe what they believe, do, create, or experience as "Jewish," what do they mean? Using multiple perspectives and multiple forms of media, we will explore how different communities—from orthodox Jews to evangelical Christians—incorporate senses of Judaism into their cultural, religious, racial, ethnic, and artistic identities.

F360 Indiana Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Survey of folklore, folklife, or folk music of Indiana. Students are encouraged to do fieldwork in the state. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F361 Traditional Arts Indiana: Documenting Indiana Traditions (3 cr.) CSA Through hands-on activities, students will explore Indiana's cultural diversity and learn cultural documentation and presentation techniques, as they identify, document, and present the traditional arts. Topics vary. Focuses each year on specific folk groups, community, or genre of Indiana folklore. May be repeated with a different topic for a total of 6 credit hours.

F363 Women's Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Focuses on women's folk traditions in terms of life cycle and role and explores the range of women's occupations and related traditional knowledge. Looks at women as traditional verbal, visual, or musical artists. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F364 Children's Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA The traditional rhymes, riddles, stories, games, folklife, or music associated with "the culture of childhood." The role these forms play in peer-group activity and in the social and cognitive development of the child. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F369 Aliens, Psychics, and Ghosts (3 cr.) A & H How do people make sense of their worlds and experiences? The study of folklore provides a unique answer through the study of narrative, symbolic expression, and discourse analysis. This course brings folk beliefs into conversation with scientific method, and examines the different ways in which people come to view or understand the uncanny.

F389 Hip Hop Music and Culture (3 cr.) A & H, CSA P: Junior or senior standing. Examines rap music as artistic and sociological phenomena with emphasis on its historical and political contexts. Discussions include the coexistence of various rap styles, their appropriation by the music industry, and controversies resulting from the exploitation of hard core rap as a commodity for national and global consumption.

F397 Popular Music of Black America (3 cr.) A & H, CSA A chronological survey of Black popular music from 1945–2000: rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, hip hop, and their derivative forms. Emphasis placed on the context for evolution and the contributions of African Americans to the development of a multi-billion dollar music industry. Credit given for only one of F397, AAAD A397, or MUS M397.

F400 Individual Study in Folklore (1–3 cr.) P: Must have prior arrangement with and consent of the faculty member(s) supervising research. May include fieldwork or library research components. May be repeated for up to 6 credit hours with the permission of the chair.

F401 Methods and Theories (3 cr.) S & H Introduces students to the main methods and theories in the two fields composing Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Explores both the common ground linking these fields and some key areas of difference, delving into basic aspects of method and theory as practiced by folklorists and ethnomusicologists.

F402 Traditional Arts Indiana (1–3 cr.) Designed as a practicum for students to work collaboratively in applying the methods and approaches of folklore studies to public needs and public programs. Students will engage in a variety of outreach projects linking the university to the larger community in the areas of public arts and culture and cultural documentation. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F403 Practicum in Folklore/Ethnomusicology (1–3 cr.) P: Must have prior arrangement with and consent of the faculty member(s) supervising work. Supervised work in public programs such as arts agencies, museums, historical commissions, and archives, including those housed at IU. Relevant readings and written report required. May be repeated for up to 6 credit hours with permission of chair.

F404 Topics in Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H Explores in depth a particular topic in the study of folklore, folklife, or music. Courses of an unusual, integrative, or experimental nature. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits when topics vary.

F405 Studying Ethnomusicology (3 cr.) S & H Introduces the field of ethnomusicology through reading, writing, and ethnomusicological research. Emphasizes the study of music in social contexts, and the study of society from a musical perspective. Designed for students interested in the study of music in human life as well as in cross-cultural approaches to the study of music and culture.

F410 Multimedia in Ethnomusicology (3 cr.) A & H This course explores the use of multimedia technology in five basic areas of ethnographic activity: Field research, laboratory research (transcription and analysis), preservation, presentation, and publication. Knowledge of technological concepts and skill development in the use of various technologies are pursued through a project-based approach, which emphasizes learning by doing. Evaluation is based on demonstration of competencies through successful completion of projects. The class is structured to include both lecture and lab components.

F420 Forms of Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music (3 cr.) A & H Examination of selected forms of folklore, folk music, craft, or performance, with attention given to content, form, and function of the selected forms as well as the variety of theories and methodologies employed in their study. May be repeated twice when topics vary.

F430 Folklore and Related Disciplines (3 cr.) S & H Advanced studies of folklore and/or ethnomusicology in relationship to other disciplines. Focuses on such interdisciplinary topics as folklore and literature, folklore and psychology, folklore and history, folklore and religion, or folklore, culture, and society. May be repeated twice when topics vary.

F440 Folklife and Material Culture Studies (3 cr.) A & H The perspective of folklife studies. Material culture presented within the context of folklife, with attention to the role of folk museums, folklife research methods, and the history of folklife research. May be repeated once when topics vary.

F450 Music in Religious Thought and Experience (3 cr.) A & H Explores the roles of music in select religious traditions of the world. Comparative analysis of relationships between music and ritual, religious music and popular culture, sacred music and mass media, music and religious identity, and music and trance. Focus on major world religious traditions, local traditions, and combinations thereof.

F492 Traditional Musical Instruments (3 cr.) A & H Classification, distribution, and diffusion of folk and traditional musical instruments. Construction and performance practices. Relation to cultural and physical environment. Demonstration with instruments in the collection of the Mathers Museum.

F494 Transcription and Analysis of Traditional Music (3 cr.) A & H
P: Consent of instructor. Survey of theories and methods applied in transcription, analysis, and classification of traditional music. Application of methods to selected recordings.

F497 Advanced Seminar (3 r.) S & H This is the final integrating course in the department, required of all majors and open to qualified students in other departments, with the instructor's approval. Topics of individual research will vary.

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Related Courses

African American and African Diaspora Studies
A112 Black Music of Two Worlds (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
A290 Sociocultural Perspective of Afro-American Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
A295 Survey of Hip Hop (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
A392 Afro-American Folklore (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
A489 Rap Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
A496 Black Religious Music (3 cr.) A & H, CSA

Central Eurasian Studies
U320 Topics in Central Eurasian Studies (3 cr.) Topic: European Folk Musics
A & H, CSB
U450 Turkish Oral Literature (3 cr.) A & H

Classical Studies
C205 Classical Mythology (3 cr.) A & H, CSA
C405 Comparative Mythology (3 cr.) A & H

Jacobs School of Music
M397 Popular Music of Black America (3 cr.) A & H, CSA

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