Folkloristics investigates the nature of tradition among the peoples of the world and how these unofficial beliefs and practices help to form cultural identity over time. Folklorists usually specialize in one of three areas: oral traditions; rites and practices, and artifacts. Oral folk traditions include song, ballads, epics, myth, tales, oral history and legends. Rites and practices include dance, weddings, funerals, holiday celebrations, superstitions, charms, divinations, music and religious belief. Artifacts include clothing, housing, barns, crafts, instruments, jewelry, decoration, foodways and art.

MCLLC’s research in folklore and mythology focuses on oral traditions and rites and practices. Information on current research in these areas can be obtained from the following program members:

Folk tales: Jacqueline Couti, Liang Luo, Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, Linda Worley

Foodways: Sadia Zoubir-Shaw

Legends: Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, Liang Luo,

Mythology: Brenna Byrd, James Francis, Theodore Higgs, Liang Luo

Rituals and Celebrations: Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby

Vernacular Religion: Tatiana Filosofova, Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby

Power and the body, sex and violence, spirits of the nights, sexual politics, plantation world, slavery, colonialism in former French colonies from the Caribbean and West Africa, Jacqueline Couti

Intersection among folk literature, experimental art, and propaganda and popular culture in modern China :Liang Luo