JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE

Scope & Guideline

Fostering Understanding through Folklore Studies

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0021-8715
PublisherAMER FOLKLORE SOC
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited States
TypeJournal
Converge1987, from 2002 to 2024
AbbreviationJ AM FOLKLORE / J. Am. Folk.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address4350 NORTH FAIRFAX DR, STE 640, ARLINGTON, VA 22203

Aims and Scopes

The JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE serves as a critical platform for the exploration and documentation of folklore across various cultures, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary issues and community experiences. The journal engages with diverse methodologies to uncover the intricate connections between folklore, identity, and societal dynamics.
  1. Folklore and Cultural Identity:
    The journal focuses on the ways folklore shapes and reflects cultural identities, exploring narratives that highlight community experiences, traditions, and the evolution of cultural practices.
  2. Interdisciplinary Approaches:
    Employing methodologies from anthropology, ethnomusicology, and cultural studies, the journal integrates various academic perspectives to enrich folklore research and its implications.
  3. Social Justice and Advocacy:
    A consistent theme is the exploration of folklore as a tool for social justice, addressing issues of representation, marginalization, and community empowerment through folklore practices.
  4. Disability Studies in Folklore:
    The journal uniquely incorporates disability studies into folklore research, examining how folklore narratives intersect with disability experiences and cultural perceptions.
  5. Digital Folklore and Modern Media:
    There is a growing emphasis on digital folklore and its manifestations in contemporary media, reflecting how technology influences the transmission and evolution of folklore.
Recent publications in the JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE reflect emerging themes that are gaining traction among scholars. These trends indicate a dynamic evolution in the field, addressing pressing social issues and contemporary cultural expressions.
  1. Folklore and Disability:
    A significant trend is the integration of disability studies into folklore research, highlighting how folklore narratives can reflect and influence perceptions of disability within various communities.
  2. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic:
    There is a rising focus on how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered folklore practices and narratives, with scholars examining new forms of storytelling and cultural expressions born out of crisis.
  3. Digital Folklore and Social Media:
    The journal is increasingly publishing work on digital folklore, analyzing how social media platforms shape folklore transmission and creation, emphasizing the relevance of folklore in the digital age.
  4. Activism and Folklore:
    Emerging themes explore the role of folklore in activism, particularly how storytelling and cultural expressions serve as powerful tools for social change and community resilience.
  5. Environmental Folklore:
    There is an increasing interest in the intersection of folklore and environmental issues, with scholars investigating how traditional narratives inform contemporary environmental movements and sustainability practices.

Declining or Waning

While the JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE has consistently engaged with a wide array of folklore topics, certain themes appear to be waning in prominence. These declining scopes reflect shifts in academic focus and changing societal interests.
  1. Traditional Folklore Forms:
    There has been a noticeable decrease in studies centered solely on traditional folklore forms, such as ballads and folk tales, as the journal shifts towards contemporary interpretations and applications of folklore.
  2. Nationalistic Folklore Narratives:
    The exploration of folklore as a means of reinforcing national identity has diminished, likely due to the increasing focus on global and multicultural perspectives in folklore studies.
  3. Historical Folklore Studies:
    Research that primarily focuses on historical accounts of folklore without engaging with their contemporary relevance seems to be less frequent, as scholars prioritize current social issues and lived experiences.
  4. Regional Folklore Studies:
    There is a decline in papers exclusively examining regional folklore, as the journal increasingly favors broader, transnational approaches that connect various cultural narratives.

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