The academic study of folklore, or the practice of adapting and promoting folklore as a cultural movement or political tool.
Folk + lore + -ism suffix (indicating a system, movement, or doctrine). Emerged in the late 19th century as a formal noun for both the scholarly discipline and the social movement of reviving traditional culture.
Folklorism became politically powerful in the 20th century—nationalist movements used 'authentic' folklore to create national identity, sometimes inventing traditions and claiming they were ancient when they were actually quite new.
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