Episode 06: Emily Hilliard on Folklore, West Virginia, and Documenting Contemporary Labor Movements

Public Work: a public humanities podcast

What role does folklore play in modern life? What is folklore, anyway? In this episode, Amelia Golcheski interviews West Virginia state folklorist Emily Hilliard to learn why folklore is more than just myths and legends. It can also be about labor movements, local histories, and even the "right" way to eat a hot dog. Amelia and Emily also discuss the recent teachers' strike in West Virginia, misconceptions about life in so-called "Trump Country," and approaches to public humanities that are invested in showing the importance of regional history. Public Work is produced and hosted by Amelia Golcheski and Jim McGrath. Questions? Comments? Find us on Twitter (PublicWorkPod) or email us: publicworkpodcast[at]gmail. The music on this episode is excerpted from the song "New Day" by Lee Rosevere (licensed via Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International).