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AFSNews December 1997 (Part Three) |
Report of the Editor, Journal of American Folklore
There were 38 submissions to the Journal of American Folklore this past year. Sixteen were rejected, 11 accepted, and 11 are awaiting decisions pending reports from outside reviewers. I am pleased to say that some of my attempts to reflect the diverse interest of the membership of the society are beginning to bear fruit, with a recent article on public sector folklore work and another on material culture (quilts). The journal has frequently featured important work by scholars in graduate school and those employed in the pubic sector. Articles on Lesbian culture and African American prayer are scheduled for forthcoming issues. I hope to see theme issues of the journal dedicated to Canada and Mexico. (This was the excellent suggestion of Editorial Board member Mark Workman.) Both of these are underway to different degrees. Moreover, other theme issues are nearing completion.
I have been pleased by the quality, if not the quantity, of submissions recently, and I hope that the journal will continue to develop a wider and more inclusive repertoire of topic areas. My thanks to all Editorial Board members: Book Review Editor Sabina Magliocco, Sound Recordings Review Editor Peter Narvaez, Exhibition and Events Review Editor John Michael Vlach, Film and Videotape Review Editor Sharon Rochelle Sherman; Associate Editors Gerald Davis, Mary Hufford, R. A. Gailey, Trudier Harris, Jay Mechling, Beverly Stoeltje, and Mark Workman. Assistant Editor Thomas Zimmerman puts an enormous amount of time and energy into this journal, and his work is crucial to its publication. The same is true for Evelyn Rubak, the Production Editor at the AAA. My thanks to all the above mentioned individuals, as well as the officers of the American Folklore Society. Particular gratitude must be extended to all of our colleagues who have taken the time and trouble to read the manuscripts that I have sent to them. I know it can be a bother, but without outside readers the process cannot happen. Finally, I would like to thank all those individuals who submitted their work to the journal, regardless of whether it was published. I very much appreciate their willingness to share their work and to undergo the often uncomfortable experience of having it evaluated by an anonymous reviewer. JAF's quality depends on its readership's direct involvement, both in terms of submissions and also in terms of ideas. Please contact me or any board member with ideas and suggestions you may have regarding what you would like to see in the journal and ways to improve it.
Jack Santino
Report of the Book Review Editor, JAF
Since August 1996, JAF has received 182 review books. Of these, 74 have been sent out for review. Sixty-three reviews have been received, 23 have been published, and 40 are still in press or being edited.
JAF receives many more books than it can possibly review. Some of these are not appropriate for review in the journal. Certain publishers, notably the University of Oklahoma Press and the University of Nebraska Press, seem to be under the impression that American folklore has to do with the Old West--outlaws, heroes, cowboys and Indians--and inundate me with nonscholarly books on these topics, while other presses send me children's books or books about storytelling. I am obligated to list all books we receive in the AFS News, but if I feel a book is inappropriate for review or if it has not been requested by a reviewer within six months to a year of its listing, I donate it to a library or a charitable cause. This year, I have donated 32 books to libraries for a total monetary value of $704.10.
I want to commend this year's reviewers for getting reviews to me on time. Unfortunately, time to press is usually much slower. It takes at least four to six months between the time I receive a review and the time the review actually appears in JAF. Many reviewers write to me asking when their reviews will appear in print. The Book Review Editor has no control over this process; these decisions are made by the Editor based on the space available once the major articles in the issue have been typeset. I also regret I am unable to provide reviewers with individual copies of their reviews.
Some reviewers have expressed dismay with my spotty correspondence. Because I lack an editorial assistant and institutional support, I am unable to acknowledge every piece of mail I receive. Happily, this is about to change. As of fall 1997, I should have a work- study assistant at my new appointment at California State University-Northridge, who will help me keep track of correspondence. The best way to get in touch with me is still through e-mail. My new address is: Department of Anthropology, California State University-Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330 (tel: 818/677-3331; e-mail: sabina.magliocco@csun.edu).
Sabina Magliocco
Report of the Exhibitions and Events Review Editor, JAF
I accepted the position of Exhibitions and Events Reviews Editor in fall 1996 and published a statement of my editorial philosophy in the winter 1997 JAF. The first reviews under my editorship appeared in the summer 1997 issue, three in all. Another two exhibition reviews plus a review essay have been forwarded for the fall issue and at this time another review essay and at least one more review will be ready for the winter issue. I solicited reviews for nine exhibitions but only received finished reviews for seven of them. It seems to me that at least three reviews are required for each review section and at the current rate we will have just enough. I would like to publish more reviews in order to present a more impressive section, and further I would like to have a modest backlog on hand so that organizing themed sections might be considered. I have found it difficult both to locate relevant folklore/folklife exhibitions on a timely basis (often notice of exhibits is published when only a few days remain on its scheduled showing). It has also proved more difficult than I imagined to secure reviewers who feel competent to write reviews and who also live close enough to the hosting venue to actually see the event or exhibition. A timely review for JAF can best be secured if the curator/organizer gives me advance word and also suggests some likely reviewers.
Like many other editors, I invite suggestions and the participation of the JAF readership. Museum exhibitions represent a significant achievement for our field and these efforts should be recognized and commented upon in our journal. With the help of our readers I hope to expand the reviews section in future issues.
John Michael Vlach
Report of the Film and Videotape Review Editor, JAF
This year the number of films and tapes forwarded to JAF remained constant at 10. Thirteen reviews have appeared, one of which was an extended film review essay. I urge folklore filmmakers to send in their work. Ask your colleagues who have created films and videotapes suitable for review in our journal to notify me. This year's material came from both large distributors and filmmakers who distribute their own work. I requested copies of the video category winners at the UCLA VITAS Film Festival, and reviews of those productions will come out shortly. Other work is sitting on reviewers' desks begging to be analyzed. Those reviewers whom I have contacted as well as those who were contacted by previous film review editors (the number exceeds 20) should complete their assignments; we will still print them. As always, JAF needs thoughtful reviewers who understand both the content of the film as well as the mechanics of film making, and I invite queries.
Consider writing about those feature films whose content is of interest and should be brought to the notice of our membership. I welcome both proposals for expanded film review essays on a single theme and essays that overview the work of a particular filmmaker. As always, other departures from our usual format are encouraged.
Sharon Sherman
Report of the Sound Recordings Review Editor, JAF
In addition to a backlog of over 20 records from the previous Record Review Editor, 29 new recordings were received. Eighty-two records were sent to reviewers. A special tribute to Kenneth S. Goldstein and four record reviews were published in JAF. Three reviews await publication. Nine are in various stages of editing. One of the published reviews, by Paul D. Fischer, reflects my wish to publish reviews of individual records in addition to review essays dealing with multiple recordings. Like books, many individual recordings and sets are deserving of appraisal within a reasonable period after release.
Peter Narvaez