Abstract

The following introduces a special issue of the Journal of Folklore Research (49/2, 2012) that focuses on situations in which individuals and the vernaculars associated with them are stigmatized. Authors in the special issue explore issues of reflexivity, representation, and 'stigma veneration' as they emerged during research on type 2 diabetes, accounts of tobacco farming, chaotic narratives of trauma, and the quest for political asylum. Here, the issue's guest editors introduce concerns about stigma, vernacularity, tellability, visibility, and valuation. A number of methodological issues arise as researchers struggle to hear what isn't voiced and attempt to determine what can't be said when writing about stigmatized groups or topics.

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