Gramsci, Good Sense, and Critical Folklore Studies

This article addresses the scholarly lacunae surrounding Antonio Gramsci's contributions to folklore studies in the English-speaking world. It contends that Gramsci's critique of folklore has often been misunderstood because it has not been read in tandem with his comments on language, common sense, and religion, nor has it been contextualized by his discussions of distinctions among folklore, philosophy, and science. This article provides a close reading of Gramsci's commentaries and draws a brief comparison with the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer in order to adapt these ideas for contemporary research, reclaim folklore's political legitimacy, and promote a critical folklore studies that would overtly address political dilemmas and human suffering.