The Department of Folklore and Social Development Studies at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, is a nationally pioneering academic institution that blends the study of traditional cultural heritage with modern social development theories. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research-based academic programmes and plays a significant role in preserving intangible cultural heritage while promoting community-based development practices.

The department officially began its academic journey in December 1998, under the Faculty of Arts, with the introduction of a four-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) programme during the 1998–1999 academic session.

The establishment was facilitated through the contributions of: The Planning and Development Committee, Faculty of Arts Council,The Rajshahi University Syndicate, Etc.

The most pivotal figure behind the foundation was the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdul Khalek, whose academic vision and administrative leadership enabled the creation of the department.

Initial academic activities commenced in Room 225 of the Shahidullah Arts Building, under the temporary guidance of Professor Abdul Jalil from the Department of Bengali. He took responsibility for drafting the initial syllabus, supervising the department’s formation, and coordinating academic operations.

At the inception of the program, 30 students enrolled, although only 20 officially commenced the coursework. The academic structure was meticulously designed, comprising a total of 44 courses and 2,200 marks, with each course carrying 50 marks. The distribution of courses across the four-year undergraduate program was as follows:

First Year: 8 courses

Second Year: 10 courses

Third Year: 12 courses

Fourth Year: 12 courses

This well-rounded curriculum was enriched and shaped by the insights and academic contributions of several renowned scholars. Among them, Professor Mazharul Islam stands out as the visionary founder of the department. Other notable contributors included Professor Ashraf Siddiqui, Professor Dulal Chowdhury, Professor Wakil Ahmed, Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan, Professor A.K.M. Hasanuzzaman, and Professor Kamruzzaman, all of whom played significant roles in structuring and refining the academic program.

In addition to the core team, invaluable input came from distinguished academics across allied disciplines such as Bengali, Philosophy, Sociology, and History. These included Professor Khondakar Sirajul Haque, Professor A.K.M. Ataur Rahman, Professor Sarwar Jahan, and Professor Zulfikar Matin. Their interdisciplinary expertise greatly contributed to the intellectual richness and academic diversity of the curriculum in its formative years.

Over the years, the Department has witnessed remarkable growth and academic diversification. Today, it proudly offers a range of programs designed to meet the evolving needs of students and society. These include the Bachelor of Social Science (BSS) Honours in Folklore and Social Development Studies, consisting of 33 courses, carrying 3,000 marks, and totaling 120 credit hours. The department also offers advanced postgraduate degrees such as the Master of Social Science (MSS), along with M.Phil. and Ph.D. research programs.^[1]

The department is currently administered by a team of 14 committed and experienced faculty members.^[2] Their areas of expertise span across folklore, anthropology, gender studies, development studies, and cultural sociology, ensuring a dynamic and interdisciplinary academic environment that fosters both critical thinking and practical knowledge.

The Department upholds a visionary, multidisciplinary, and community-oriented academic philosophy. It approaches folklore not merely as a cultural artifact, but as a powerful instrument for social transformation. Rooted in both academic rigor and grassroots relevance, the department seeks to redefine the role of folklore in contemporary society.

Its mission is to bridge critical divides—between tradition and modernity, culture and development, and academia and activism. By doing so, it nurtures a scholarly environment that values indigenous knowledge systems while fostering progressive social change through research, dialogue, and action.^[3]

At the heart of the department’s academic orientation lies a firm foundation in global folkloristics. Drawing from the insights of renowned scholars, the curriculum integrates diverse theoretical understandings of folklore as a living, evolving cultural force. These definitions underscore the richness and complexity of folklore as both tradition and practice.

Henry Glassie (1995) describes folklore as “artistic communication in small groups,” highlighting its expressive and communal nature.

Y.M. Sokolov (1966) defines folklore as “the oral, traditional creativity of the people, reflecting their worldview, customs, and history.”

Alan Dundes (1965) asserts, “Folklore is a mirror of culture,” encompassing myths, legends, jokes, customs, and rituals that reflect societal values.

John Thoms (1846), who coined the term ‘folklore’, defines it as “the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through generations by word of mouth.”

Linda Dégh elaborates that folklore is “a dynamic process of verbal, customary, and material practices passed through informal transmission.”

Jan Harold Brunvand defines folklore as “those traditional forms of expression that circulate informally among groups, often anonymously.”

Simon J. Bronner states, “Folklore is a way people make sense of their experiences through creative expression in everyday life.”

Peter Burke notes that folklore is “an archive of the people’s past, shaped by collective memory and storytelling.”

Barre Toelken defines folklore as “the traditional knowledge and expressive culture shared within a community, constantly negotiated and reinterpreted.”

These scholarly definitions collectively present folklore as more than just a collection of ancient stories or customs. Instead, they portray it as an evolving field that captures the essence of human experience—bridging the personal and the communal, the past and the present, the inherited and the imagined.

By grounding its curriculum in such rich theoretical perspectives, the department equips students to critically engage with folklore as both an academic discipline and a transformative tool for understanding society.

The Department of Folklore and Social Development Studies maintains a dynamic and interdisciplinary academic focus that bridges cultural heritage with contemporary social challenges. Its core areas of teaching and research are designed to explore the depth of folk traditions while addressing pressing development issues through critical scholarship and community engagement.

Folklore Studies

At the heart of the department’s curriculum is the study of folklore in its many forms. This includes:

– Oral narratives, myths, legends, and folk songs

– Proverbs, rituals, festivals, customs, and beliefs

– Folk art, traditional crafts, and material culture

Through these, students gain insights into the symbolic systems and everyday practices that define community identities and collective memory.

Social Development

In addition to folklore, the department places strong emphasis on social development. Key thematic areas include:

– Rural and community development

– Gender studies and women’s empowerment

– Environmental sustainability and policy advocacy

– Cultural preservation and indigenous rights

This focus encourages students to apply folklore-based knowledge in solving real-world problems, especially within marginalized and rural communities.

Research and Fieldwork

Field-based learning is central to the department’s academic mission. Students and faculty engage in:

– Ethnographic research methodologies

– Community-based participatory research (CBPR)

– Documentation and digital archiving of oral traditions and local knowledge systems

These efforts not only preserve intangible cultural heritage but also contribute to inclusive and sustainable models of social transformation.

Fieldwork forms a vital and distinctive component of the department’s academic journey. It is not treated as a supplementary activity but as a core pedagogical tool that bridges classroom learning with real-world experience. Students are actively engaged with rural, indigenous, and marginalized communities, allowing them to witness and analyze living traditions in their natural contexts.

Key field activities include the live documentation of festivals, rituals, folk narratives, and social practices, along with the application of participatory development practices rooted in respect and mutual learning. These immersive experiences offer students a nuanced understanding of cultural systems, power dynamics, and community resilience.

Such hands-on exposure not only enhances academic insight but also equips students with practical skills and cultural sensitivity required for professional roles in academia, NGOs, cultural institutions, and policy-making sectors. The field thus becomes both a site of research and a space for transformative learning.

In an era increasingly shaped by globalization and rapid socio-economic change, indigenous knowledge systems face the risk of erosion and marginalization. Against this backdrop, the Department of Folklore and Social Development Studies emerges as a vital institution committed to cultural preservation, intellectual engagement, and social responsibility.

The department serves as a beacon of cultural resilience, fostering a new generation of scholars and practitioners who are deeply rooted in both tradition and progressive thought. Its graduates and researchers:

– Document and archive vanishing traditions, ensuring that oral histories, rituals, and community knowledge are preserved for future generations

– Advocate for culturally grounded models of development that respect and incorporate indigenous perspectives

– Contribute to inclusive social transformation, working toward equity, empowerment, and sustainability across diverse communities

Professor Mazharul Islam is widely revered as the founder and guiding visionary of the Department of Folklore. A distinguished folklorist, researcher, and educationist in South Asia, his contributions laid the foundational groundwork for the academic institutionalization of folklore studies in Bangladesh.

Throughout his illustrious career, Professor Islam worked tirelessly to elevate folklore from the margins of academic discourse to a respected field of scholarly inquiry. His seminal book, "Folklore Parichiti o Pathon-Pathon" (Introduction and Study of Folklore), remains a cornerstone in the study of folklore in Bangladesh. The work continues to inspire generations of students, scholars, and cultural practitioners who seek to understand the deep connections between folk traditions and social identity.

His vision was not merely academic; it was transformative. He imagined folklore as a powerful tool for cultural awareness, national identity, and social development—an approach that continues to shape the philosophy and mission of the department to this day.^[4]

Professor Mazharul Islam is celebrated as the founder and visionary figure behind the Department of Folklore. He was an eminent folklorist, researcher, and educationist in South Asia. His influential book, “Folklore Parichiti o Pathon Pathon” (Introduction and Study of Folklore), remains a cornerstone of Bangladeshi folklore studies.^[5]

The Department of Folklore and Social Development Studies engages with a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary concepts that enrich its academic and practical orientation. These related domains provide both theoretical frameworks and applied methodologies for understanding and utilizing folklore in diverse contexts.

One of the most significant frameworks is Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), as defined by the UNESCO 2003 Convention, which emphasizes the preservation of oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, and traditional craftsmanship. This global perspective aligns closely with the department’s mission to safeguard and revitalize local cultural expressions.

The field also draws from Applied Folklore, which uses folklore knowledge to address real-world issues such as community development, education, and public health. This approach connects academic inquiry with community-based action.

Cultural Anthropology offers deeper insights into the lived experiences, symbols, and belief systems of different communities, complementing folklore studies with ethnographic depth and cultural analysis.

Another key area is Development Communication, which focuses on using participatory media, traditional art forms, and folk narratives as tools for raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and driving social change.

Lastly, Oral History plays a crucial role in documenting personal and collective memories, preserving the voices of marginalized groups, and constructing alternative narratives of the past.

Together, these interconnected concepts reinforce the department’s commitment to both cultural preservation and progressive social engagement.

^[1] উদয় শংকর বিশ্বাস । বাংলাদেশের প্রাতিষ্ঠানিক ফোকলোর চর্চা ।

^[2]University of Rajshahi. Official Website.

^[3]মযহারুল ইসলাম। ফোকলোর পরিচিতি ও পঠন-পাঠন।

^[4]মোঃ জাহাঙ্গীর হোসেন । বাংলাদেশের ফোকলোর সাধক।

^[5]ড. মুহম্মদ আব্দুল জলিল। বাংলার ফোকলোর মবীষা।  

Henry Glassie(1995). “Tradition.” Journal of American Folklore.

Y.M. Sokolov  (1966). Folklore: A Study of Its Nature, Genres, and Function. Moscow.

Alan Dundes(1965). The Study of Folklore. Prentice-Hall.

W.J Thoms (1846). “Folk-Lore.” The Athenaeum, No. 982.

UNESCO(2003). Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

American Folklore Society. (n.d.). What is Folklore?

United Nations. (n.d.). Social Development Goals.

Dr. Mazharul Islam(1985). Bangladesher Lokosahitya: Itihas o Ruprekha.

Ashraf Siddiqui. (1988). Lokosanskriti.

Wakil Ahmed (1991). Bangladesher Lokosanskriti Bishleshon.