Alan Dundes Quotes

A collection of quotes by Alan Dundes.

Alan Dundes (1934-2005) was a prominent American folklorist and professor known for his extensive contributions to the field of folklore studies. Born in New York City, Dundes developed a passion for folklore from a young age. He received his undergraduate degree in English from Yale University and went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Folklore from Indiana University.

Dundes' work focused on analyzing various aspects of folklore, including myths, legends, folktales, and customs, from different cultural perspectives. He contributed significantly to the understanding of folklore as a form of human expression and explored its role in society. Dundes believed that folklore revealed important insights about human behavior, psychology, and social structure.

Throughout his career, Dundes wrote numerous groundbreaking books and articles, becoming one of the most influential figures in folklore studies. His publications covered a wide range of topics, including folklore analysis, humor, symbolism, ritual, and cultural interpretation. Some of his notable works include "Interpreting Folklore," "The Study of Folklore," and "Holy Writ as Oral Lit: The Bible as Folklore."

Dundes taught at several prestigious institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as a professor of folklore since 1963 until his untimely death in 2005. His teaching and mentorship influenced generations of students and folklorists, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of folklore as a discipline. Alan Dundes' insightful contributions continue to shape the field of folklore studies to this day.

Future orientation is combined with a notion and expectation

Future orientation is combined with a notion and expectation of progress, and nothing is impossible.

Alan Dundes


Americans do believe in progress and there is almost certain

Americans do believe in progress and there is almost certainly a kernel of truth in the joke.

Alan Dundes

Truth Progress

If a student takes the whole series of my folklore courses i

If a student takes the whole series of my folklore courses including the graduate seminars, he or she should learn something about fieldwork, something about bibliography, something about how to carry out library research, and something about how to publish that research.

Alan Dundes

Graduation

In the light of our culture, these are not unreasonable ques

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.

Alan Dundes

Future

I have a great advantage over many of my colleagues inasmuch

I have a great advantage over many of my colleagues inasmuch as my students bring with them to class their own personal knowledge of national, regional, religious, ethnic, occupational, and family folklore traditions.

Alan Dundes

Knowledge

Cities all over the world are getting bigger as more and mor

Cities all over the world are getting bigger as more and more people move from rural to urban sites, but that has created enormous problems with respect to environmental pollution and the general quality of life.

Alan Dundes

Environmental