Inaugural Professor Series Wraps Up with Jeannie Thomas

As part of the Inaugural Professor Lecture Series at Utah State University, Jeannie Thomas, professor of folklore, was honored April 12 at President Albrecht’s residence by family, friends and colleagues for her recent promotion to full professor.

Department Head Jeffery Smitten introduced Thomas as someone who seems to have been born into an academic career. She has moved through hers quickly and naturally, he said.

"Jeannie is an outstanding teacher of folklore courses, especially in the areas of legend, the supernatural, material culture, theory and methods and regional folklore," Smitten said.

Thomas's research covers a remarkable range of subjects, including dumb blonde jokes, Dan Quayle, Hillary Clinton, bluegrass, foreplay and barfing ghosts he said.

In Thomas's lecture she talked about her book Naked Barbies, Warrior Joes, and Other Forms of Visible Gender. This book analyzes the folklore about the most visible, sculptural manifestations of gender in the everyday world.

"I was inspired by my students' stories and what they said about gender," said Thomas.

Thomas said author James Deetz also inspired her to write her book because he looks at the historical archeology of ordinary things and finds out the meaning in them.

Thomas said cultural landscape interests her and field work also inspired her to write many of her books.

An award-winning author, Thomas won the Elli Kongas-Maranda prize for her book Featherless Chickens, Laughing Women, and Serious Stories. The women's section of the American Folklore Society recognized Thomas for her outstanding work on women's traditional, vernacular and local culture work on feminist theory and folklore.

"I like researching ordinary things and finding out the meaning of them in every day life," Thomas said.

Thomas taught at Utah State for six years and for the past two years has been the director of folklore. Before coming to Utah State Thomas taught at Indiana State University.

Thomas received her bachelor's degree from Utah State as a National Merit Scholar. She attended the University of Oregon and earned a master's and doctorate in folklore and ethnic studies.