This FIG will consider the use of symbols, rituals, and performance in the orchestration of official political authority, and explore how people outside of the political sphere use creative forms in their everyday lives to express political perspectives, negotiate power relationships, and act in response to political and social realities.

College Connections Faculty:  Lisa Gilman

Lisa Gilman is the director of the Folklore Program at the University of Oregon, as well as a professor for the department. As a folklorist, she examines the intersections between creative expressions and social, political, and economic dynamics. She is especially interested in relationships between performance genres, usually dance and music, and issues of power related to gender, class, cultural identity, and politics. In her free time, Lisa enjoys hanging out with her family, traveling, hiking, biking, cooking, gardening, and reading.

E-mail: lmgilman@uoregon.edu

FIG Assistant: Nicole Scopelliti       

Nicole is a senior at the University of Oregon studying English Language and Literature, Folklore, and Creative Writing. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois, however four years ago, she decided to follow her dreams and move to Oregon. Although living 2,000 miles from home has been a difficult transition, it has also been the most rewarding. Nicole has interned at United Way of Lane County’s community literacy program, served as a senior editor at Unbound Literary-Arts Journal on campus, was a selected participant of the Kidd Tutorial for creative writing, and was once a teammate of the University of Oregon’s freestyle snowboarding team. She is currently a writing tutor at the university’s Teaching and Learning Center. Her favorite hobbies include spending time outdoors, writing fiction, attending local shows, and studying alternative and vernacular spiritual practices. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Master’s in Early Childhood Education, while simultaneously honing her skills as a writer. Her ultimate goal is to be admitted into a Fiction MFA program. She is looking forward to making new friends and meeting all of the wonderful students in the FIG program, as well as helping new students become familiar with all this fantastic university has to offer!

If you would like to reach Nicole, you can send her an email: nscopell@uoregon.edu

Summer Assignment:

The summer assignment for this FIG is to read Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, as well as  the following article:  “Dumb Blondes, Dan Quayle, and Hillary Clinton: Gender, Sexuality, and Stupidity in Jokes.” Journal of American Folklore 110 (437): 277 -31, by Jeannie Thomas. After reading the article, find one piece of folklore related to this year’s presidential election campaigns. This can be a joke, meme, cartoon, song, slogan, piece of art, etc. that you encounter either “in real life” or on the Internet. Bring this example to the first day of class to share with your classmates.

Week of Welcome:

Our FIG will meet on Friday, September 23rd at 11 AM in Columbia 150! Please arrive around 10 minutes early, as we will be moving to another location shortly after 11!

Are you looking for future classes related to your FIG?

The courses below are related to the focus of your FIG and are a great way to keep exploring the subject matter that you dove into your first term at the UO. Many of these courses satisfy general education requirements.

• PS 104: Problems in US Politics
• PS 352: Parties and Elections
• ANTH 315: Gender, Folklore, and Inequality
• ANTH 161: Intro to Cultural Anthropology
• FLR 225: Voices of Africa
• MUS 349: American Anthems and Protest Music