Public Folklore? German Fastnacht and Knowledge Production between Application, Participation, and Intervention

Abstract:This article reflects on different research modes and ways of knowledge production in the field of Volkskunde/Empirische Kulturwissenschaft (folklore studies/cultural and historical anthropology). Based on contemporary scholarly discussions and a historical case study, this article describes different understandings and practices of ethnographic research with and for the public. Using the example of a research group on carnival, the work presented here highlights a shift in the scholarly habitus in the late 1960s from conducting community-commissioned research to changing the community’s point of view through action research. The results of this analysis links to contemporary sociopolitical demands for collaborative research, Third Mission projects, and Service Learning.