About

Oral Tradition is an open-access journal devoted to the study of the world’s oral traditions, past and present. Reaching a diverse and global audience, the journal publishes articles that explore the vitality of words spoken, sung, or performed, and the traditions of creative expression in which they thrive. 

Founded in 1986 at the University of Missouri by John Miles Foley, Oral Tradition now has a new home at Harvard University. The journal publishes one issue per year, with occasional special issues. We welcome research on the creation, transmission, and interpretation of all forms of oral traditional expression, as well as investigations of relations between oral and written traditions, brief accounts of important fieldwork, and editions of oral texts. Authors may submit their work by email to journal@oraltradition.org. Submissions should be formatted according to the journal’s style sheet. Submissions must be in English. All quotations of primary materials must be made in the original language(s) with following English translations. If appropriate, please describe any supporting materials that could be used to illustrate the article, such as photographs, audio recordings, or video recordings. Submissions accepted by the editor for review will be refereed by at least two readers.

Editors and Editorial Board

Editor: David F. Elmer

Managing Editor: Daniel Frim

Editorial Board: