Petition for the Creation of a Newfolk Section
at the American Folklore Society (Newfolk@AFS).

NEWFOLK scholars are dedicated to innovative work around issues of emergent folklore. Emergent folklore arises out of the need for new kinds of community or new strategies for maintaining and dealing with communities faced with change. Emergent folklore may make use of traditional genres--jokes, song, narrative, material culture--but the materials, sources, or means of transmission are influenced by the issues and problem of "modernization," which both includes and transcends popular culture. Newfolk questions the concept and role of tradition as a cultural and intellectual construction working with, rather than against, forces of modernity.

For this reason, NEWFOLK members wish to create a section within the American Folklore Society to encourage research and provide an opportunity for folklorists working in new directions to present and debate their work. NEWFOLK@AFS will hold annual section meetings and provide annual reports to the AFS Board as required, cooperate with sections sharing goals and content, organize panels and publish its work in the online and print media available to it.