Perspectives on East and Southeast Asian Folktales is a multidisciplinary examination of folktales that are unfamiliar to Western audiences. Examining folktales from countries like Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, China, Japan, and Korea, the contributors consider various aspects, including identity issues, relationship to idioms and narrative structure, morals, collectivism, violence, scatological references, language socialization, representation of Buddhist values, and emotional competence. . Highlighting differences and similarities between East and Southeast Asian and Western folktales, this volume promotes memorable understanding of East and Southeast Asian cultures and their oral traditions.
Allyssa McCabe is professor emerita of psychology at University of Massachusetts Lowell. MinJeong Kim is associate professor in the School of Education at University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
Chapter 1. Overview: Perspectives on East and Southeast Asian Folktales Allyssa McCabe and MinJeong Kim Folkloristic Perspective Chapter 2. Folk and Fairy Tales as Expressions of Identity in Cross-cultural Communication Juwen Zhang Cultural Perspective Chapter 3. Morals Take Precedence Over Resolution: An Exploration of Chinese Idiom Stories in Mandarin Allyssa McCabe, Fangfang Zhang, and Chien-ju Chang Chapter 4. Collectivism in Asian versus Western Folktales of (Extra)ordinary Companions Juwen Zhang, Allyssa McCabe, MinJeong Kim, and Charlotte L. Wilinsky Psychological Perspective Chapter 5. A Developmental Perspective on Violence in Southeast Asian Folktales Charlotte L. Wilinsky and Allyssa McCabe Chapter 6. What You Hate Becomes Your Fate: Researcher Reflexivity in Encounters with Southeast Asian Folktales Allyssa McCabe and George Chigas Educational Perspective Chapter 7. Japanese Language Socialization through Folktales Masahiko Minami Chapter 8. Educational Implications of Buddhist Values in Vietnamese Folktales Tham Tran and MinJeong Kim Chapter 9. Learning Nunchi: Folktales as Tools to Teach Emotional Competence in Literacy Learning in Korea MinJeong Kim and Minyoung Kim
What a revealing volume! Folktales are the perfect window, not only into the values and educational mindset of Asia but into the many differences between Asian cultures. Informative, stimulating, and accessible, this is a must-read for anyone interested in culture and its transmission. -- Gish Jen, author of Thank You, Mr. Nixon This excellent collection brings together folkloristic, cultural, psychological, and educational perspectives on East and Southeast Asian folktales, including those personally told or retold by some immigrant families from the region. Presenting these complex and multifaceted dimensions in one accessible collection, the book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the study of folktales and will appeal to a broad range of readers. -- Soe Marlar Lwin, Singapore University of Social Sciences This comprehensive book highlights the value of folktales in better understanding morals and ethics of east and southeast Asian countries from psychological, educational, and cultural perspectives. I enjoyed reading the folktales in the book that were carefully analyzed. These folktales provide a window in thinking about some of the moral and ethical influences of these countries. A great way to learn about historical, social-cultural, and psychological perspectives of east and southeast Asian countries through analysis of their folktales. -- Laurie Katz, The Ohio State University
