ENG 4633/5633 – Material Folk Culture

Fall 2004

TR 9:30-10:45 A.M., W 327f

Instructor: Richard Burns Email: rburns@astate.edu Web-site: www.clt.astate.edu/rburns

Office: W 213 Office Hours: TR 11-12 PM., 3:30-4:30 P.M., M 3:30-4:30 PM,

and by appointment (972-2164)

Required Texts:

Betty J. Belanus, Seasonal.

George O. Carney, ed., Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass.

Henry Glassie, Pattern in the Material Folk Culture of the Eastern United States.

Aug. 24: Course Introduction.

26: Culture, Folklore, and Patterns of Interaction Between Folk and Popular. Read Patterns in

Material Folk Culture, pp. 1-33.

31: More Concepts and Definitions. Read Carney's “Preface” and “Introduction” to

Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. xv-15.

Sept. 2: Introduction to Folk Architecture. Read Carney’s "Introduction" to Part I, then articles by

Glassie and Gritzner in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegras, pp. 17-42.

7: Folk Architecture (cont’d.). Read articles in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. 56-76.

9: Regional Patterns. Read Patterns in Material Folk Culture, pp. 33-124.

14: Regional Patterns (continued). Read Patterns in Material Folk Culture, pp. 124-154.

16: Patterns within Regions. Read Patterns in Material Folk Culture, pp. 158-184.

21: Causes of Regional Patterns. Read Patterns in Material Folk Culture, pp. 184-201.

23: Non-regional Patterns. Read Patterns in Material Folk Culture, pp. 201-241.

28: Context and Craft: Villages, Cities, and Homes. Handout—Xeroxed article by John

Michael Vlach, “Arrival and Survival: The Maintenance of An Afro-American Tradition in

Folk Art and Craft.”

30: Craft: Creativity and Function—Women’s Aesthetics and Quilting. Xeroxed article by

Joyce Ice, “Women’s Aesthetics and the Quilting Process.” Short paper based on interview due at the beginning of class.

Oct. 5: Discussion of research issues. By now, you should have a typed paragraph describing

your research topic, possible informants, and your topic’s relevance to the course (readings,

etc.).

7: Mid-Term Exam.

12: Folk Instruments. Read all of Part III in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. 129-153.

14: No class – your instructor will be out of town but an alternative activity will be announced.

19: Folk Sports and Games. Read all of Part IV in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. 155

191.

21: Graveyard Decorations. Read all of Part V in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. 193

232.

26: Folk Medicine and Material Culture. Read all of Part VI in Baseball, Barns, and

Bluegrass, pp. 233-262.

28: Craft: Creativity and Function—-Consuming Things; Foodways and Material Folk Culture.

Read all of Part II in Baseball, Barns, and Bluegrass, pp. 77-119

Nov. 2: Begin reading Betty Belanus’ Seasonal

4: Finish Seasonal.

9-11: Folk Art and Outsider Art: A Folklorist’s Perspective. Handout Xeroxed from The Outsider Artist, pp. 145-159.

16-18: Artisans: More Case Studies—Nathaniel Barrow of Helena, Arkansas and examples from

graduate student research.

22-27: Fall Break

29: Catch-up and review.

Dec. 2 Research papers due beginning of class. Presentation of research.

6: Presentation of research (continued).

13: Final Exam – 8-10 AM

Course Requirements:

Examinations: Two in-class examinations (a mid-term and final), each worth 25% of your final grade; class participation and quizzes worth 10% of your final grade; a 2-3 page typed, double-spaced paper based on an interview of a senior citizen who is at least seventy years old (worth 15% of your final grade); and a 10-12 page report based on folklife research you conduct this semester, worth 25% of your final grade. Graduate students must write a 15-20 page report. Required readings must be completed by the dates listed on the calendar. You are also responsible for materials distributed in class or covered in lectures and class discussions. Please note that the final examination is required to pass the course.

Attendance Policy: If you are unavoidably absent, you are responsible for any information covered during the missed class meeting. If you miss more than six class meetings during the semester, I reserve the right to lower your final grade by one letter. If you are absent during the mid-term exam, you must provide a verifiable justifiable excuse and you must take a make-up within one week of your return. Written work must be completed and handed in to me no later that the beginning of class on the due date. Late work will receive one grade lower for each day past due the due date.

Grading Scale: Letter grades for mid-term and final grades will be: A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = below 60.