Folkloristika

Folkloristika, or folklore studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to the systematic study of folklore—the traditional beliefs, arts, customs, and narratives of living communities. It treats folklore as both texts and performances embedded in social life, transmitted across generations and adapted in new contexts.

Its scope includes oral literature (folktales, legends, myths), proverbs and riddles, songs and music, rituals and rites of passage, festive and daily practices, folkloric dance, crafts, and traditional medical knowledge. Researchers examine how such forms shape identity, memory, social norms, and community cohesion, and how they respond to change, migration, and global contact.

Methodologically, folkloristika combines fieldwork with archival research, text and discourse analysis, and linguistics, musicology, and anthropology. It uses classification tools such as motif indexes (for example, the folktale ATU system) and comparative analysis to trace variants, transmission paths, and contact zones. Ethical considerations include informed consent, representation, and the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

Historically, the discipline emerged in the 18th–19th centuries in Europe amid national revival and ethnographic interest, later expanding worldwide. Today it intersects with ethnology, ethnomusicology, literary studies, and digital humanities, embracing contemporary media and collaborative methods.

Scholars of folkloristika study folklore in diverse languages and regions, preserving traditional knowledge while analyzing its role in modern societies, including issues of appropriation, copyright, and cultural sustainability.