Faculty Research and Creative ProjectsIn the Folklore and Public Culture Program, faculty research spans genres and cultures. The goal is to examine the historical, cultural, social, and psychological dimensions of expressive forms including mythology, legend, folktale, music, dance, art, belief, foodways, ritual and ceremony. Our interdisciplinary and associated faculty members also follow emerging media such as internet memes, communities, and conspiracies, and digital performance and art. All our instructors bring diverse perspectives and knowledge to the classroom and their research.
Whitney Phillips
Whitney Phillips’ work explores media histories, religion and politics, and the context and consequences of vernacular communication online. She is especially interested in the ideologies, beliefs, and stories that shape what people encounter on their screens—and what they feel compelled to do in response.
Faculty Research and Creative Projects
Lea Lowthorp
- Deep Cosmopolitanism: Kutiyattam, Dynamic Tradition, and Globalizing Heritage in Kerala, India. Indiana University Press, forthcoming Fall 2025.
- #CRISPRfacts, Gene Editing, and Joking in the Twittersphere. Journal of American Folklore 131(522):482-492.
- South Asian Folklore in Transition: Crafting New Horizons, co-edited with Frank J. Korom. Routledge, 2019.
Whitney Phillips
- The Shadow Gospel: How Anti-Liberal Demonology Possessed U.S. Religion, Media, and Politics, co-authored with Mark Brockway (MIT Press). The intro has already published early open access, and the full book will be available Spring 2025.
- Share Better and Stress Less: A Guide to Thinking Ecologically about Social Media, co-authored with Ryan Milner, Candlewick/MIT Teen, 2023.