Graduate Reader
25% Graduate Reader for JPN155 - Fall 2026
Course Description:
From sacred myth to urban legend and everything in between, the folklore of Japan is rich and varied. There are epics of war; folktales about ghosts and shapeshifting creatures; local festivals that have persisted for hundreds of years; and new traditions created in the context of globalization and cultural change. This course introduces students to Japanese folklore and its study (minzokugaku). Primary emphasis is on the narrative genres of myth, legend, and folktale, but we will also discuss folk beliefs, ritual, festival and supernatural creatures. We will consider issues of identity and what it means to call something “Japanese”; questions of tradition and “invention of tradition”; modernity within a Japanese historical context; and the intersection of folklore with literature and popular culture. We will also study the history of minzokugaku as a discipline, its development in prewar Japan, as well as its (mis)use for nationalist purposes. This course allows us to explore important cultural products that are often overlooked in classes on literature, anthropology, and history.
Reader’s Duties:
The Reader will be responsible for grading most written assignments, which includes at least four short essays at various points during the quarter. The Reader is also responsible for grading three exams: two midterm exams and one final exam. Responsibilities also include imputing grades into Canvas and keeping records of student attendance. Because much of the Reader’s work will entail commenting on student writing assignments, the Reader should have excellent writing skills and previous experience correcting student compositions. The best candidates for the position will have a background in comparative literature or a similar literary discipline, as well as a foundation in folklore studies and some knowledge of Japanese history and literature.
This is a graduate student position. Applicants will only be contacted if they are selected for an interview.