Dan Ben-Amos
Encyclopedia
Dan Ben-Amos is a folklorist
and professor
at the University of Pennsylvania
, Philadelphia, where he holds the Graduate Program Chair for the Department of Folklore and Folklife.
and attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, where he initially majored
in Biblical studies
and English literature
. During his sophomore
year, dissatisfied with his major
, he switched to pursue a degree in Hebrew literature
with an interest in folklore
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1961. While pursuing his degree, Ben-Amos worked with Professor Dov Noy, a director of the Hebrew University Folklore Center, to collect Israeli folklore. Under advice from Professor Dov Noy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben-Amos continued his education in the United States
at Indiana University, Bloomington, which at that time was the only folklore Ph.D.
granting institution in the United States. Although originally turned-off by the town of Bloomington
, he decided to stay, and he received his M.A.
in 1964 and Ph.D.
in 1967 in folklore. At Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Bloomington, Ben-Amos was trained in the comparatist tradition.
Towards the end of his education and beginning of his career, Ben-Amos, along with other young folklorists, Roger Abrahams and Richard Bauman
, became affectionately labeled by Richard Dorson
, prominent folklorist and teacher of Ben-Amos, as the Young Turks. The Young Turks broke with traditional perspectives of folkloristics, which focus on the text and its content. Collectively, they focused on context in an effort to better understand folklore and the way people use folklore. Ben-Amos in his influential essay, “Toward a Definition of Folklore in Context,” promoted a new way of defining folklore based on its context. With its focus on context, Ben-Amos’s work helped to usher in a new performance based perceptive in the field of folkloristics.
, which he held from 1966-67 as Assistant Professor of Anthropology
. In 1967, he began teaching at The University of Pennsylvania
, Philadelphia, serving as an assistant professor for three years and associate professor for seven. He became Professor of Folklore and Folklife
in 1977, holding the title for twenty-two years. His current position at the University of Pennsylvania is Professor of Near Eastern Languages
and Civilizations and Folklore, and he serves as Chair of the Graduate Program in Folklore and Folklife.
Ben-Amos’s scholarly interests include Jewish folklore, Africa
n folklore, humor, the history of folklore, and structural analysis.
Ben-Amos served on the executive board of the American Folklore Society
from 1977 to 1980. He was an associate editor from 1981 to 1984 and book editor from 1988 to 1990 of the Journal of American Folklore
. He also serves as the general editor to the Indiana Press series Folklore in Translation.
Folkloristics
Folkloristics is the formal academic study of folklore. The term derives from a nineteenth century German designation of folkloristik to distinguish between folklore as the content and folkloristics as its study, much as language is distinguished from linguistics...
and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Philadelphia, where he holds the Graduate Program Chair for the Department of Folklore and Folklife.
Education
Ben-Amos was born in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, where he initially majored
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
in Biblical studies
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
and English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
. During his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
year, dissatisfied with his major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
, he switched to pursue a degree in Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
with an interest in folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1961. While pursuing his degree, Ben-Amos worked with Professor Dov Noy, a director of the Hebrew University Folklore Center, to collect Israeli folklore. Under advice from Professor Dov Noy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben-Amos continued his education in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at Indiana University, Bloomington, which at that time was the only folklore Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
granting institution in the United States. Although originally turned-off by the town of Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, he decided to stay, and he received his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1964 and Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1967 in folklore. At Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Bloomington, Ben-Amos was trained in the comparatist tradition.
Towards the end of his education and beginning of his career, Ben-Amos, along with other young folklorists, Roger Abrahams and Richard Bauman
Richard Bauman
Richard Bauman is a folklorist and anthropologist who recently retired from Indiana University Bloomington. He is presently Distinguished Professor emeritus of Folklore, of Anthropology, and of Communication and Culture...
, became affectionately labeled by Richard Dorson
Richard Dorson
Richard Mercer Dorson was an American folklorist, author, professor, and director of the Folklore Institute at Indiana University.Dorson was born in New York City. He studied at the Phillips Exeter Academy from 1929 to 1933....
, prominent folklorist and teacher of Ben-Amos, as the Young Turks. The Young Turks broke with traditional perspectives of folkloristics, which focus on the text and its content. Collectively, they focused on context in an effort to better understand folklore and the way people use folklore. Ben-Amos in his influential essay, “Toward a Definition of Folklore in Context,” promoted a new way of defining folklore based on its context. With its focus on context, Ben-Amos’s work helped to usher in a new performance based perceptive in the field of folkloristics.
Professional career
His first teaching position was at the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, which he held from 1966-67 as Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. In 1967, he began teaching at The University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Philadelphia, serving as an assistant professor for three years and associate professor for seven. He became Professor of Folklore and Folklife
Folklife
Folklife is an extension of, and often an alternate term for the subject of, folklore. The term gained usage in the United States in the 1960s from its use by such folklore scholars as Don Yoder and Warren Roberts, who wished to recognize that the study of folklore goes beyond oral genres to...
in 1977, holding the title for twenty-two years. His current position at the University of Pennsylvania is Professor of Near Eastern Languages
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and Civilizations and Folklore, and he serves as Chair of the Graduate Program in Folklore and Folklife.
Ben-Amos’s scholarly interests include Jewish folklore, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n folklore, humor, the history of folklore, and structural analysis.
Ben-Amos served on the executive board of the American Folklore Society
American Folklore Society
The American Folklore Society is the US-based professional association for folklorists, with members from the US, Canada, and around the world. It was founded in 1888 by William Wells Newell, who stood at the center of a diverse group of university-based scholars, museum anthropologists, and men...
from 1977 to 1980. He was an associate editor from 1981 to 1984 and book editor from 1988 to 1990 of the Journal of American Folklore
Journal of American Folklore
The Journal of American Folklore is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the American Folklore Society. Since 2003 this has been done on its behalf by the University of Illinois Press. The journal has been published since the society's founding in 1888. It publishes on a quarterly schedule...
. He also serves as the general editor to the Indiana Press series Folklore in Translation.