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Research Guides

Folklore & Mythology: Articles

Folkloristics, the study of Folklore, is the study of human expressive culture, and includes myths, legends, folk- and fairy-tales, jokes, proverbs, jump-rope rhymes, material culture, and much more.

Finding Journal Articles & More

decorative image of journal covers

Scholarly articles on folklore related topics can be found in databases covering various disciplines. Those listed here are some of the major databases for doing research related to literature, history, religion, anthropology, and the arts. For other databases see those listed under other Research Guides. For example, if you are researching African folktales see the African Studies Research Guide for additional databases.

When searching databases, link your search terms using the AND connector. For example: tricksters AND "native americans". On the search results screen, use the options on the left toolbar to narrow your search results. To find the fulltext of the article (if not provided directly in the database), click on the "Check for Full Text" button and work your way through the screens. Not all articles will be online, some may only be in print, others may not be available at the UW. Articles from journals which the UW does not own can be requested via Interlibrary loan.

Major Databases for Folklore Studies

Oxford Bibliographies

Oxford Bibliographies feature scholar-selected books and articles on a variety of topics. These are a selection of entries that focus on folklore and related topics in disciplines ranging from anthropology to Victorian studies.

For printed bibliographies see the Internationale volkskundliche Bibliographie / International Folklore Bibliography, an annual series published from 1948 to 1999. Also see the 10 volumes of the Garland Folklore Bibliographies.

Multidisciplinary Databases

Arts & Literature

History

Society & Peoples