Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore

Edited by

Kathleen Nadeau

(To be Published by the Greenwood Press)


Call for Contributions

The Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore is scheduled to be published by Greenwood Press in 2010.

Asian American Folklore shares a close tie with Asian Folklore, and is growing increasingly important to all Americans. Never before has there been such a broad and deep interest in Asian and Asian American folklore in the United States and Europe. The many different cultures of Asian Americans in all of their specificities offer a rich trove of historical experiences through their folklore that hold continuing relevance and offer wisdom guidance for present living.

Editor seeks contributors for entries on different types of folklore, histories and applications of folklore, and analysis. A-Z arrangements.

Principles for establishing entries: to cover as broad as possible the Asian American folklore practice, in particular those that have regional or national basis. When an Asian American culture or community is introduced, its folklore may contain, but not limited to, these aspects:

--Folkliterature; narrative; tale; legend; histories; personal experience narratives; myth;
poetry; epic; ballad; song; verse; speech; proverb; riddle
--Names; graffiti; language; dance; music; musical instruments
--Belief systems; medicine; magic; religion; churches and temples
--Behavior; drama; games and play; children games; ritual; foodways; festival
--Material culture; art; products; technology
--Settlement patterns (houses/cultural architecture; interior and exterior designs and decorations)
--Further reading: book and journal publications; film; record and audiotape; websites; ethnography; monographs

Sample list of (working and expandable) table of contents in alphabetical order will be provided to interested contributors.

A letter of intent should be submitted by Feb. 1, 2009 (or until all needed entries are filled). Prospective candidates will receive an assignment, contributor's guidelines, and sample entries by email or postal mail; followed by release form to be sent by postal mail from the publisher to be signed and returned. Complete entries are due by the end of 2008 for review, and are subject to normal editing process required for quality publications and are accepted for publication at the discretion of the editors, advisory board, and publisher. Contributors will receive a free set of this two volume reference book and/or a modest honorarium once it is published.

If you are interested in submitting one or more entries please send a short biographical sketch describing your background and interests in Asian American Folklore and your preferred e-mail and postal address to: Kathy Nadeau.


About the Encyclopedia

This project of editing the Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore is intended to provide the first comprehensive reference to the field of Asian American folklroe studies. If you are interested in any area of Asian American studies, you will notice that there has not been a book or encyclopedia in English that deals with Asian American folklore, although other Asian American studies are growing.


About the Editor

Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., is Assoicate Professor at the Department of Anthropology, California State University, San Bernardino. She earned her Ph. D. in Anthropology at Arizona State University in 1995. Her teaching and research interests include Asian and Asian American studies, especially Filipino American studies, cross-cultural study of sex and gender, and the anthropology of human development. Her research interests are on Asian and Asian American folklore and ethnic studies, with a focus of Philippine folklore.


About the Publisher

Please visit the Greenwood Press website, http://www.greenwood.com


This page is created on Sept. 14, 2007, updated March 31, 2008.