This interdisciplinary team research is intended to discuss the new methodology in folk song studies. Conventional framework for the folk song studies privileged topics such as the collection of words and the classification of melodic patterns. However, the focus of scholars has recently been shifted towards the concept of folk song, discourse, the ideology of authenticity, the intervention of technology and scientific research, the impact of industry, the politics among others. Our team will argue critically each of these new themes. One of our shared interests is to assess the role of mediators(agents) who link the “original” locales and the outside worlds. The mediators in our team include scholars, record producers, radio producers and announcers, urban professional performers, city halls, and so on. Without their intervention, few “outsiders” could have got access to the rural songs. Several members will investigate the cultural implications of the work of mediators in different countries and times. Another force of displacing the rural songs to metropolis is migration. When people move, their songs accompany them. The displaced songs, often susceptible with the syncretism, have of course different cultural meaning. Some of our members will present their work on the songs of migrated communities to discuss the interference between the original and the adopted milieus. Another focus of our team is to compare the Japanese folk song (min’yo) and the other ones. The concept of min’yo, a typical case of the “invention of tradition”, entered in Japanese intellectual (and then popular) parlance towards the end of the 19th century. The ways of conceptualizing it were not so different from those in the West. For the concept of folk song was part of the process of modernization in globalized (and standardized) music culture. The folkloric usually puts on the symbolism of the nation in many cultures as well as inspires many concert composers and popular musicians. It is important to reflect upon the formation of the concept and adaptation of min’yo in the wider context.

Team Researcher	石橋　純	東京大学大学院総合文化研究科・准教授
〃	伊東信宏	大阪大学大学院文学研究科・准教授
〃	井上貴子	大東文化大学国際関係学部・教授
〃	大和田 俊之	慶應義塾大学法学部・准教授
〃	岡田暁生	京都大学人文科学研究所・准教授
〃	柿沼敏江	京都市立芸術大学音楽学部・教授
〃	倉田量介	東京大学教養学部・非常勤講師
〃	阪井葉子	大阪学院大学・非常勤講師
〃	島添 貴美子	富山大学芸術文化学部・講師
〃	高橋美樹	高知大学教育研究部人文社会科学系・准教授
〃	滝口幸子	お茶の水女子大学大学院人間文化創成科学研究科・博士後期課程
〃	竹内有一	京都市立芸術大学日本伝統音楽研究センター・准教授
〃	武田俊輔	滋賀県立大学人間文化学部・講師
〃	長尾洋子	和光大学表現学部・講師
〃	中原 ゆかり	愛媛大学法文学部・教授
〃	藤田隆則	京都市立芸術大学日本伝統音楽研究センター・准教授
〃	松村　洋	共立女子大学文芸学部・非常勤講師
〃	三井　徹	金沢大学名誉教授
〃	森　博史	第一三共株式会社・課長
〃	横井雅子	国立音楽大学音楽学部・准教授
〃	輪島裕介	国立音楽大学・明治大学・非常勤講師
〃	早稲田 みな子	東京芸術大学音楽学部・非常勤講師
〃	片山杜秀	慶應義塾大学法学部・准教授
Research Representative	細川周平	国際日本文化研究センター・教授
Organizer	鈴木貞美	国際日本文化研究センター・教授