(no subject)

[pantryslut]

Alan Dundes has died.

Dundes was famous as a folklorist; I know him primarily through the fairy tale "Casebook" series he edited, but I was also passingly familiar with his work on jokes and "sick humor." He was also concerned with gender and gender roles in his work.

Dundes is also credited, in the SF Gate article above, for discussing the homosexual symbolism of (American) football.

For those who don't click links, he died in mid-sentence while teaching a graduate seminar.

For a while, I considered doing graduate work in folklore studies. But I've considered a lot of things in my time.

I'm not sad that he's gone -- I didn't know him, after all -- but I think his passing is worth marking.

Comments

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

Bother ... I have a number of his books around here. I actually studied mythology for a while, and he was one of my textbooks.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

My ex took a class from him, and I sat in one time and had a marvelous time.

It makes me a little sad, and nostalgic, and warm for his work all at once. Thanks for posting it: I've sent the link on to the ex.

[black-pearl-10.livejournal.com]

"Dundes is also credited, in the SF Gate article above, for discussing the homosexual symbolism of (American) football."

Sounds like I'd have liked him.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

That and his interest in "inappropriate" humor, yeah.