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Author
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Comment
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catja1
Registered User
(4/8/06 9:28 am)
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Re: Indiana University Folklore Institute
Searsmith,
Where did you wind up going, if you don't mind my asking?
(I also looked at Indiana, but like you, I wanted more literature; also, IU couldn't give me a good financial package. So I went to Ohio State, which is an absolutely terrific program -- the AFS is headquartered there.)
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Helen J Pilinovsky
Registered User
(4/8/06 11:11 am)
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Re: Indiana
Just a drive-by posting, since I'm more a lurker than anything else these days - Kristi, congratulations!
On the more general topic of choosing programs, it really depends on which elements of folklore are most attractive to you. I'm very passionate about folk-and-fairytales, but I'm most drawn to the ways in which they manifest in literature ... so I ended up in an understanding English department rather than a folklore program. It's occasionally a bit frustrating to be the only one doing what I do in my program, but the overall community to be found at conferences, on discussion boards (heh), etc., makes up for it ... the really important thing is to find an advisor who's on the same page that you are.
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catja1
Registered User
(4/8/06 12:01 pm)
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Re: Indiana
Helen,
That was my situation too; I wanted to do fairy tales and literature, and wound up in a children's lit program (with a folklorist on staff), where I've received a great deal of support -- more than I would have in a more anthropolgically-oriented program, I think.
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kristiw
Unregistered User
(4/8/06 2:14 pm)
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Re: Indiana
Ah, in my case my background is linguistic anthropology, so I never really considered lit programs, though I know they can be a wonderful venue for folklore. I quite sympathize with the frustrations of being the only one in your program, Helen. My major notwithstanding, I'm basically doing an undergraduate folklore thesis, and getting perspective from your peers is tricky when you're essentially coming from different discourses.
I did hear complaints from some grad students that there wasn't as much at Indiana for European fairy tales, the Grimms and so forth, but I'm really more interested in the present production/oral angle than the various historical and literary interpretations, so I'm not too concerned. I'm sure you'll come to your own conclusions, Elerjilly, when you get to that stage. :) Good luck!
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searsmith
Registered User
(4/10/06 9:51 am)
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program decisions
catja1,
I went to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned a doctorate in Victorian literature. That's the first great age of artistic fairy treatments in English, of course, so it made good sense -- in addition to my other interests, which go much beyond fairy.
Helen's right, of course. It's all about finding a program and faculty that suit your own combination of interests and desire for approach. I was very happy with my route, which was partly due to luck, but also to some self-assessment and program research. I found the on-site visit was especially important for getting a feel for the experience in a program.
Kelly
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EleriJilly
Registered User
(4/11/06 12:56 pm)
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Re: Indiana
Thanks for all the info!!
I had glanced at East Tenessee - definitly some interesting things going on there. I didn't know that the University of Indiana was so highly regarded in folklore circles. Living in Cincinnati, it's practically in my back yard and I know of the school from my original college major (clarinet performance). Definitely has the wheels spinning as far as the dual degree in folklore and ethnomusicology. So many things to look at!!!!
Anyone has any unusual pros and cons about the major. I didn't think about the difficulty being the only person at a location interested in your particular field - just little things like that that are helpful bits of info.
Thanks again,
Eleri
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