|
Angus Gillespie
Professor Department of American Studies School of Arts and Sciences |
|
Key Topics: American folklore, the World Trade Center, maritime culture, urban legends, conspiracy theories, Jerseyana, the Jersey Devil, the New Jersey Turnpike Speaker's Biography: Angus Kress Gillespie, Ph.D., is founding director of the New Jersey Folk Festival, established in 1975. He is a noted folklorist who has studied myths, legends, tales, and ballads of the United States. His courses in folklore range in topics from historic figures like Buffalo Bill, Casey Jones, Calamity Jane, and Molly Pitcher, to such contemporary issues as urban legends and conspiracy theories. He also teaches an occasional course in "weird folklore," which includes discussions on Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Jersey Devil. Gillespie's 1999 book on the construction of the World Trade Center was updated in 2001. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, he received hundreds of requests for speaking engagements and media interviews, both in the United States and abroad. In addition to skyscrapers, other areas Gillespie has studied include the cultural implications of ships and superhighways. Request This Speaker |
|
