The relationship between ethnic groups and nations is under renewed review throughout the world. If an ethnic group is defined as a social group with shared culture, it will increasingly become essential to proactively understand the life and culture of different ethnic groups in the era of globalization.
At the same time, people will need to review their own culture from the viewpoint of comparison with other cultures, so that they can avoid becoming bilingual in a strict sense.
Kunio Yanagita is said to have considered that comparative folklore studies should be possible only after “national study of folklore” is established in respective countries. This shows his inadequate interest in the polycentric and diversified nature seen in the formation of folklore cultures, and has in turn triggered arguments as to whether the folklore studies in Japan have really been established as “national study of folklore,” including the positioning of the Ainu Tribe and the cultures of southern islands.
The Study Meeting on Comparative Folklore was established at the first study meeting held on December 20 at the end of 1989. Since then, regular study meetings were held 106 times in total in 21 years to date. On December 6, 2009, a symposium titled “Lifestyle of East Asian Folks as Seen from the Folklore Perspective” was held to commemorate the 100th meeting.
Moreover, the Meeting first published its magazine, “Hikaku Minzoku Kenkyuu (Comparative Folklore Studies),” on March 31, 1990. The magazine has been published like an annual report, totaling 24 issues as of December 2010.