IU Folklore & Ethnomusicology

09/09/2026

Alumnus Dr. Jesse Fivecoate (PhD ’23) recently started a new position as Assistant Professor of Digital Culture and Ethnography in the Department of Comparative Studies at The Ohio State University! Congratulations, Jesse!

09/09/2026

Thank you to Caveat Emptor Used Books for sharing about this year’s FOLK 100 Initiative!

Folk 100 Initiative

09/08/2026

Dr. Jon Kay and PhD Student Gul E Zahra co-curated Traditional Arts Indiana’s recent exhibition, “Creativity, Continuity, Community,” on display in the Herman B Wells Library’s Scholars’ Commons now until December!

The exhibition showcases the works of local artists from the state of Indiana.

IU Libraries Herman B Wells Library

09/04/2026

PhD Candidate Garima Plawat did fieldwork over the summer in Assam, India with the indigenous community Karbi! Her field research was conducted with the support of the American Folklore Society 2026 Graduate Fieldwork Grant and the departmental Richard M. Dorson Dissertation Research Award. Her dissertation focuses on the mortuary rituals and practices in the Karbi funerary festival called Chomangkan, and the identity creation inherent in them. In particular, her research examines the role of sexuality and fertility rituals that inform the positionality of the festival's participants. She interviewed Karbi ritualists, scholars, and people who had previously hosted the festival.

The photos were taken in multiple cities in Assam, where Garima both interviewed the ritualists and scholars and documented certain rituals and songs integral to the festival in particular, and to the community in general. She is thankful to both the department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology as well as American Folklore Society for giving her the opportunity to conduct this fieldwork.

09/03/2026

Graduate students Madi Becker and Qiaoyun (Jeolin) Hu will be holding an informal session tomorrow from 3:30pm – 5:00pm in the Classroom Office Building, room 102 to discuss their summer research!

In this informal session, Madi Becker will discuss her summer research at the Smithsonian Institution. Her focus was on collections from the Miao people of Southwest China. Jeolin Hu will also report on summer research concerned with Southwest China. Her project involved a survey of museums focused on cultural diversity in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces.

09/03/2026

We are thrilled to sponsor Las Guaracheras for the 2026 Lotus World Music & Arts Festival! October 1-4, 2026, downtown Bloomington.

Lotus Education & Arts Foundation

09/01/2026

Congratulations to alumna Dr. Iryna Voloshyna (PhD ’26), who recently started a new position as Executive Director of the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago!

08/31/2026

Last week, several members of the department attended the College’s Faculty Welcome Reception! Pictured are Department Manager Michelle Melhouse, Dr. Pravina Shukla, Dr. Jason Jackson, Dr. Rachel Horner (wearing her new IU College of Arts and Sciences scarf!), Accounting Representative Rose Hessert, Program Specialist Elise Suarez, Dr. Julianne Graper, and Dr. Eduardo Herrera.

08/28/2026

We are deeply saddened to share the news that Professor Emeritus Hasan M. El-Shamy passed away on August 16, 2026. We will pass on a full obituary and any details regarding a service in honor of Dr. El-Shamy once they are shared with us.

Our thoughts are with Susan, Jenny, Lyla, and the entire family during this difficult time.

Faculty member Dr. Jason Jackson, with the encouragement of Dr. El-Shamy’s family, has updated his 2013 scholarly biography to serve as a scholarly memorial. The text is available on our website at: https://folklore.indiana.edu/news-events/news/el-shamy-hasan.html

08/27/2026

PhD Student Lamont Pearley is hosting a workshop on acoustic blues, history, and culture at the Southern Indiana Blues Fest in Morgantown, IN this Saturday, August 29 at 8pm! Visit www.billmonroemusicpark.com for tickets to the festival and more information.