2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Literary Geographies of Folklore
| Project/Area Number |
20K12954
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
THURGILL JAMES 東京大学, 教養学部, 特任准教授 (20783210)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Literary Geography / Folklore / Cultural Geography / Cultural Studies |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The first year of funding has been successful despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first year was spent gathering and analysing various literary resources in addition to submitting and preparing publications for international journals. Outputs include: Two online guest lectures delivered on the project for University of Glasgow (UK) and The Society of British Dowsers, UK (both held online via Zoom); a conference paper for the Royal Geographical Society's Annual Meeting, August 2020 (London), was accepted but presentation is delayed until August 2021; an article on literary geographies of folklore was published in Literary Geographies journal (online, open access); a co-authored article on literature and tourism published in Annals of Tourism Research was published; a book chapter on walking, landscape and art was published in an edited collection produced by the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou; and a co-authored book-length collection of interview articles was completed, due out in May/June 2021.Additional publications include a short essay published for the Local Dowsing Group Network on the work of Alfred Watkins and a short creative practice piece on regional folklore accepted for a collection published by the University of Sunderland, UK.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
While certain aspects of the project, such as international conference attendance, fieldwork and archive documentation at Norfolk County Archives, UK, were not possible due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in fact, the additional time gained from remaining in Japan allowed for further writing projects to be developed and increased opportunities for publication and dissemination of the research. The publication of a book, connected more broadly to the cultural geographical aspects of this project, was not anticipated at this stage, but will further public knowledge of this area of study and draw attention to the project itself. The (global) switch to online events has made it possible to participate in international events during the teaching period, which would not usually have been possible.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The research is intended to go ahead as planned for the second year of funding, with fieldwork, archive documentation and physical conference attendance likely possible in the early months of 2022. A proposed contribution on Japan, literature and geography for the Routledge Companion to Folk Horror (book chapter) has been accepted, and a co-authored article proposed for Nordic Journal of Childlit Aesthetics has been submitted. Further research will be conducted for an article on Lafcadio Hearn and literary geography (in preparation) to be submitted to Social and Cultural Geography in the 2021-2022 funding period, as well as a second co-authored article with Jane Lovell (Canterbury Christ Church, UK). Further dissemination of project findings at international conferences will be pursued.
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| Causes of Carryover |
It was not possible to spend the budget on international travel expenses as proposed in the original application material due to the pandemic. The remaining amount will be used in conjunction with the current year's balance to attend an additional research symposium in Russia once international flight is possible. Additionally, the documentation and editing of the archival records of Dr Mark Taylor held at the Norfolk County Archives, UK, will be implemented once travel restrictions are lifted. The remaining 2020-2021 budget will be used to conduct the above work in the current funding year (where possible).
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