Alan Dundes

Folklorist

1934-09-08 – 2005-03-30

Alan Dundes was an American folklorist and academic who taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He published extensively on folklore theory, myth, and comparative traditions. He was one of the most influential folklore scholars of the twentieth century.

Quotes by Alan Dundes

Folklore provides a socially sanctioned outlet for the discussion of the forbidden and taboo.
Read quote
Polls are frequently taken to try to tease out or determine likely directions and trends, but once taken, they belong to the past, requiring that new polls be taken.
Read quote
There is more to folklore research than fieldwork. This is why in all of my other upper-division courses I require a term paper involving original research.
Read quote
They do not merely collect texts; they must also gather data about the context and the informant and, above all, write an analysis of the items based upon the course readings and lecture material on folklore theory and method.
Read quote
In the light of our culture, these are not unreasonable questions and tactics, but if once again, we try to see the lens through which we look, we can see that there is far too great an emphasis placed on the future.
Read quote
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Read quote
I mentioned that one of the tripartite formulas in American worldview involves time: past, present, and future.
Read quote
Ancestor worship, or filial piety so characteristic of Asian cultures, for example, does not really resonate with Americans who favor children, not grandparents.
Read quote