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Published on: April 6, 2018
Let the kids play: Children's folklore, Newell's paradox, and the triviality barrier
Brandon Barker1, Gwyn Harris1, Eric McGoffin1
1Indiana University, Department of Folklore & Ethnomusicology, Bloomington, IN, USA barkerbr@iu.edu gwroharr@iu.edu ecmcgoff@iu.edu https://folklore.indiana.edu/about/faculty/barker-k.html.
Abstract:
Lew-Levy and Amir (L&A)'s hypothesis that peer cultures contribute to cultural adaptation pulls from findings in children's folklore studies. We consider the implications of two central theoretical concerns in children's folklore scholarship, the triviality barrier and Newell's paradox, and argue that the playful, parodical, and taboo-breaking nature of children's folklore will be important for L&A's hypothesis. Additionally, we suggest that adults' tendencies to trivialize children's folklore support the resilience of peer cultures in an adult-dominated world.
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