Michelle Soto MS MLitt
Folklore & Communtiy | Arts & Culture
My Research
My research surrounds the themes of Identity, Experience, Accessibility, and Inclusivity in Cultures around the world. I believe that every subject would benefit from being analyzed through these lenses. However, I focus primarily on Folklore, Arts and Culture, and History Pre-nineteenth Century.
De-Programming:
Organizational Identity and The Classics
Thesis Submitted for the Completion of a Master of Science Degree in Arts Administration and Museum Leadership
Project Abstract: The identity of a theatre organization affects the presentation of its content. Qualitative case studies of two mid-Atlantic theatre companies, Curio Theatre Company and Taffety Punk Theatre Company, examine how organizational identity influences a company’s approach to the classics. Themes of shared experiences, inclusivity, and accessibility are explored through direct observation, interviews, and organizational documentation. The research finds that both companies are asking questions about relevance, inclusivity and are attempting to create highly accessible experiences of classical theatre. Their opinions about the definition of the classics, and the practices of authenticity in producing them, arise from each theaters’ unique identity and are manifest in the artistic choices made in their respective presentations of classic works. This research is significant because it analyzes the position of the classics canon in regard to inclusivity and accessibility and demonstrates the relationship between a theatre company’s organizational identity and its programmatic choices about classical works.
Email me: msoto3496@gmail.com
Seeking Claire-ity
Dissertation Submitted for the Completion of Master of Letters in Ethnology and Folklore
Project Abstract: Seeking to better understand the relationship between life stages and traditional belief, particularly Nature-based Paganism and Hedge Witchcraft. This paper consists of two primary parts. The first part is a literature review, exploring the topics of women’s folklore, the historic reception of Paganism and witchcraft, and contemporary Paganism. The second piece of this paper is an ethnographic case study based on the Personal Experience Narrative of Claire Brown. Claire Brown’s Personal Experience Narrative encompasses a series of episodes where she discusses Paganism, caring for the world around her, her craft, and the stigma she has faced as a woman and a Pagan. This research intends to expand upon the hypothesis that traditional belief is malleable by attempting to understand how the contributor’s relationship with Nature-based Paganism and the performance of her traditional practices has changed over time.
In the Future: My current research is intended to prepare me for an eventual dissertation on Representation of Women and Marginalized Identities in Folklore, and continued scholarship on the effects of organizational identity in the presentation of Public History and Folklife.
Interested in Discussing My Research?
Email me: msoto3496@gmail.com
Michelle Soto MS MLitt 