Oral literature, oral tradition, verbal folklore, folk literature, oral performance, popular culture - these areas of human communication and performance are now attracting increasing attention from social anthropologists. Designed as a guide both to the practicalities of fieldwork and to the range of methods by which oral texts and performance can be observed, collected or analysed, "Oral Traditions and the Verbal Arts" takes the reader through all the stages of preparing for, conducting, and following up research. Particular emphasis is laid on the recent interdisciplinary work on performance, on the "processes" involved in the creation and analysis of texts, and on related ethical issues. The book is distinctive in its comparative perspective, with examples taken from both historical and modern cultures, ranging from African and South Pacific forms to those from contemporary Europe. Theoretical controversies about approach and terminology are clarified, and a full and up-to-date bibliography is included. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of anthropology, cultural studies, folklore, oral literature, general readers.