Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology News

The newest Spring 2022 Issue of the Kentucky Folklife is live! The Kentucky Folklife Program, a part of the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at WKU, is pleased to announce that our fourth consecutive issue of Kentucky Folklife, a multimedia digital publication dedicated to exploring expressive cultures throughout the Commonwealth, is now available. This issue features overlooked local histories of Marion county, the journey of an Oaxaca baker in Louisville, and the unexpected comfortableness of facing death with a doula.

Led by chief magazine editor Delainey Bowers and Folklife Specialist Joel Chapman, Kentucky Folklife is a collection of essays, interviews, and films that actively celebrates, and confronts, what it means to live and work in the Bluegrass State. Instead of relying on tired stereotypes, Kentucky Folklife is dedicated to bringing a fresh perspective to longstanding conversations centered on collaboration, community-building, and cultural conservation.

“It never gets old seeing these articles in their final, published state. There is an indescribable feeling knowing these articles are coming from the perspective of someone very close to the source material. Reading these authors write about their fellow Kentuckians feels so thoughtful and intimate, as if you’re in the room talking with them over coffee. As Kentucky Folklife continues to grow, it continues to not only be an incredible tool for cultural documentation, but a powerful example of what the perspective of folklore can bring when we examine our own communities.” Says Folklife Specialist Joel Chapman.