"To be clear, some doctoral or post-doctoral research evidencing precisely how effective 'the process' is as a way of defining what's commonly described as folk music would be most welcome."
whatever happened to:
"I choose not to let it anywhere near the music I love because I understand what it can reveal and what it can't."
How about some evidence straight from the horses mouth.
The Irish and Scots Travellers held on to their singing and storytelling traditions far longer than any other communities in these islands TOTALLY WITHOUT ACCESS TO LITRACY.
It was still possible to record full texts of song from them right into the mid-seventies including many of the Child ballads which had disappeared from the repertoires of field singers - 24 verse version of Lamkin, a similar length version of Young Hunting, The Outlandish Knight, The Grey Cock, Edward, Lord Randall - living examples of an oral tradition.
Of course,, this might not suit your own particular agenda- but you can't win 'em all.
I asked for evidence - all I got was waffle - no surprise there.
Business as usual
Jim Carroll