Zoofolkloristics: Imagination as a Critical Component

Area of Science:

• Folklore Studies
• Animal Studies
• Cultural Studies

Background:

• European folklore often uses nonhuman animals symbolically, overshadowing their real existence and human-animal power dynamics.
• The field of zoofolkloristics emerges to address nonhuman animals as embodied beings, not just metaphors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the role of animals and power relations in interspecies entanglements within folklore.
• To deconstruct oppressive systems and advocate for multispecies justice.
• To explore the potential of imagination as a methodological tool in zoofolkloristics.

Main Methods:

• Critical re-reading of three Slovenian animal-related folklore texts.
• Application of Hubert Zapf's concept of imaginative counter-discourse.
• Analysis of the 'historical animal' as both embodied and constructed.

Main Results:

• Folklore analysis reveals hidden power imbalances in human-animal interactions.
• Imagination serves as a methodological tool for transformative zoofolkloristics.
• The study provides a framework for deconstructing anthropocentric narratives in folklore.

Conclusions:

• Zoofolkloristics offers a critical lens to understand and challenge human dominance over animals in cultural narratives.
• The findings have implications for advancing animal ethics, liberation, and conservation efforts.
• Reinterpreting folklore through zoofolkloristics can foster multispecies justice.