Working Life Belief, Custom, Ritual, Narrative A Folklore Society conference, Friday 27 to Sunday 29 April 2018 at the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, 6 Redlands Road, Reading RG1 5EX CALL FOR PAPERS

Submissions are invited for papers that explore a range of themes, customs, narratives, traditions and beliefs relating to the working life. Proposals of 100-150 words, for presentations of 20 minutes, should be emailed to thefolkloresociety@gmail.com and copied to enquiries@folklore-society.com. Deadline: 7 January 2018. Please include a brief biographical note, including contact details.

Themes for discussion might include, but are not limited to:

·         Calendar festivals and working life

·         Working life and the narrative tradition

·         Work songs and occupational identities in ballads and popular poetry

·         Special practices at work—rites of conclusion, taboo expressions

·         Apprenticeship and initiation rituals, trade processions and myths of origin

·         Traditional humour about trades and professions

·         Informal rules of work, office jokes and sanctioned perks

·         The use of custom, omens, mascots and other lore as a bargaining tool with employers

·         Themes from work in folk art, murals and vernacular architecture

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Dr Caroline Oates, Librarian, The Folklore Society

c/o The Warburg Institute, Woburn Square
London WC1H 0AB

Tel. 0207 862 8564

The Folklore Society Library and Archives are stored at University College London Library