Folklorist on Obama tramsition team

Subject: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: fretless
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:35 AM

Bill Ivey has been appointed to lead the Obama transition team with responsibility for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Ivey has had a distinguished career as a folklorist. He currently directs the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University, and has served as director of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. He is past president of the American Folklore Society, and chair of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1998 to 2001.

It is not clear what this will mean for US funding of folklore studies, folk music, etc., but the changes could be significant.

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: open mike
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:43 AM

hooray! One of us in the oval office...infiltrate!

hold the National Folk Festival everywhere all year long!!

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Nerd
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:47 AM

Yes, Bill has been an important figure in folklore studies, and country music studies, for years. I don't imagine he would, or could, effect massive increases in funding for folklore right away. But what could certainly happen is that folklorists like Bill could be well-placed in the areas where such decisions are made, and prevent folk arts from being discounted, as they so often are.

It's also very nice to see. Bill was NEA chair under Clinton, and another folkorist, Bill Ferris, was NEH chair. One thing all folklorists were hoping for was that Obama would share the Clinton Administration's respect for folklore and folklorists, and it seems from this appointment that he does.

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Maryrrf
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:51 AM

Wonderful news! Things just get beter and better!

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Alice
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:53 AM

Great news!! Thanks!

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: fretless
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 11:57 AM

Nerd is certainly correct that no one, not even a well-positioned folklorist on the transition team, is going to bring about significantly increased funding for folklore in terms of new money. But there is hope that some of the existing monies appropriated for NEA and, even more so, NEH, could be redirected toward folk related uses.

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 12:33 PM

Wonderful!! Thanks for letting us know!

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Amos
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 03:11 PM

Looks like we picked the right man to steer.


A

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: GUEST,MM
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 05:16 PM

Yes, if you loved the Bill Clinton administration, you'll likely enjoy the reruns too.

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Barry Finn
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:00 PM

Folk anything along with Arts & Culture in general has had a very bad go of it as far as support & funding for the past 8yrs. So even if the can't help foster much that's an improvment over the brutal beatings they've been used to taking. "It's begining to look a lot like Christams".

Barry

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Don Firth
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:48 PM

Well, GUEST,MM, there were a few things about the Clinton administration that weren't exactly disastrous. For example, when Clinton turned the office over to George W. Bush, there was a budget surplus. And we were we involved an illegal and open-ended war.

Take a good look at where we are now!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 09:15 AM

Guess,MM commented:

Yes, if you loved the Bill Clinton administration, you'll likely enjoy the reruns too.

I did, and I expect to.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Cool Beans
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 12:28 PM

Plus, Bill's a picker, and a Michigan boy.

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Fortunato
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 01:42 PM

yes, but has he groked the 'cat?

Subject: RE: Folklorist on Obama tramsition team
From: Don Firth
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 07:22 PM

And, of course, that should read "And we were not involved an illegal and open-ended war."

Don Firth