China Social Science Review

No.4, 2024

 

 

Li Xiangzhen

 

The introduction of metatheoretical research not only enhances the understanding of the past, present, and future of folklore, but also contributes to the improvement of folklore’s theoretical level, promotes the renewal of its research paradigms, and strengthens the academic integrity of the discipline, ensuring its continued vitality. Over the past two centuries, modern folklore has developed three dominant research paradigms: the “text-language” paradigm, the “custom-knowledge” paradigm, and the “context-folklore” paradigm, based on key elements such as overall problem awareness, research methodology, basic assumptions, theoretical construction, and research models. In recent years, a growing sense of academic crisis in folklore has emerged, revealing that established research paradigms are insufficient to meet the knowledge demands arising from modern societal changes. Therefore, there is a need to establish a new, more integrative folklore paradigm through metatheoretical research.