Miami associate professor wins 2024 Chicago Folklore Prize
Andrew Peck鈥檚 book examines what happens when legends are born online?
鈥
Published
Andrew Peck, associate professor of Strategic Communication, recently earned the prestigious Chicago Folklore Prize for his book, 鈥淒igital Legend and Belief: The Slender Man, Folklore, and the Media.鈥
Miami associate professor wins 2024 Chicago Folklore Prize
鈥
Published
Keeping quiet that he had earned the oldest international award recognizing excellence in folklore scholarship was, Andrew Peck joked, his second biggest accomplishment this year.
The first? Being named the recipient of the 2024 Chicago Folklore Prize.
When Peck learned in September his book, “,” would receive the prestigious honor, he was elated.
But, he also had to keep the news to himself until the official ceremony Nov. 7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There was at least one person Peck could tell, his wife, Nicky – though a few more were inadvertently let in on the scoop.
“I ran into the room where my wife works from home and loudly interrupted a work meeting,” said Peck, associate professor of Strategic Communication in 黑料社区’s Department of Media, Journalism, and Film (MJF). “I yelled to my wife, ‘I won book of the year!’ After that I had to keep it a secret, which was not easy.”
“Digital Legend and Belief” charts the rise of the urban legend of the Slender Man, which originated online in 2009, as the book explores the changing nature of belief in a digital age.
Rosemary Pennington, chair of MJF, noted Peck’s book was competing against those authored by scholars situated at established folklore programs. Peck is also co-editor of the edited collection “Folklore and Social Media.”
“This is a monumental recognition for Andrew’s work,” Pennington said. “He’s been sort of situated at the intersection of media studies and folklore, and when scholars sit at those crossroads, it can be hard to get appreciated fully.
“The fact that Miami has allowed for this creativity and intersectional approach to research is really important, and the recognition of that is really important.”
Peck started work on “Digital Legend and Belief” in 2019 before turning in the final draft of his book in January 2023. A month later, he and Nicky welcomed twin girls to their family. One chapter of his life had closed as a new one took shape.
In the four years he worked on the book, Peck received encouragement from colleagues and mentors, including Miami faculty members Kathleen German and Ron Becker.
“The book isn’t just about urban legends. It’s using this specific case to explain how stuff comes into existence on the internet, how it spreads across digital communities, and how it gets amplified by social media,” said Peck, whose research on how beliefs circulate informally on the internet frequently touches on topics ranging from fake news to widely circulated hoaxes, trends, and rumors.
“We often see these weird internet trends, and they seem inexplicable,” Peck said. “If you want to understand how these things keep popping up, even though there is no basis in reality, my book explains it from start to finish.”
More than 40 books were submitted for this year’s Chicago Folklore Prize, which was first given in 1904 and is offered jointly by the American Folklore Society and the University of Chicago.
Peck praised the backing he received from the university, including a course offered to junior faculty members on how to plan a long-term project.
“I am extremely grateful to Miami,” Peck said. “This award reflects well not only on the individual scholar but also on the system that supports them.”
Added Pennington: “This really is an incredible honor for a scholar who has been focused on media folklore that has traditionally been defined in very particular ways. Increasingly, academia has to evolve to make space for more scholars like Andrew who are at these intersections where really interesting work is happening. I am so pleased he was recognized for his hard work.”
The first? Being named the recipient of the 2024 Chicago Folklore Prize.
When Peck learned in September his book, “,” would receive the prestigious honor, he was elated.
But, he also had to keep the news to himself until the official ceremony Nov. 7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There was at least one person Peck could tell, his wife, Nicky – though a few more were inadvertently let in on the scoop.
“I ran into the room where my wife works from home and loudly interrupted a work meeting,” said Peck, associate professor of Strategic Communication in 黑料社区’s Department of Media, Journalism, and Film (MJF). “I yelled to my wife, ‘I won book of the year!’ After that I had to keep it a secret, which was not easy.”
“Digital Legend and Belief” charts the rise of the urban legend of the Slender Man, which originated online in 2009, as the book explores the changing nature of belief in a digital age.
Rosemary Pennington, chair of MJF, noted Peck’s book was competing against those authored by scholars situated at established folklore programs. Peck is also co-editor of the edited collection “Folklore and Social Media.”
“This is a monumental recognition for Andrew’s work,” Pennington said. “He’s been sort of situated at the intersection of media studies and folklore, and when scholars sit at those crossroads, it can be hard to get appreciated fully.
“The fact that Miami has allowed for this creativity and intersectional approach to research is really important, and the recognition of that is really important.”
Peck started work on “Digital Legend and Belief” in 2019 before turning in the final draft of his book in January 2023. A month later, he and Nicky welcomed twin girls to their family. One chapter of his life had closed as a new one took shape.
In the four years he worked on the book, Peck received encouragement from colleagues and mentors, including Miami faculty members Kathleen German and Ron Becker.
“The book isn’t just about urban legends. It’s using this specific case to explain how stuff comes into existence on the internet, how it spreads across digital communities, and how it gets amplified by social media,” said Peck, whose research on how beliefs circulate informally on the internet frequently touches on topics ranging from fake news to widely circulated hoaxes, trends, and rumors.
“We often see these weird internet trends, and they seem inexplicable,” Peck said. “If you want to understand how these things keep popping up, even though there is no basis in reality, my book explains it from start to finish.”
More than 40 books were submitted for this year’s Chicago Folklore Prize, which was first given in 1904 and is offered jointly by the American Folklore Society and the University of Chicago.
Peck praised the backing he received from the university, including a course offered to junior faculty members on how to plan a long-term project.
“I am extremely grateful to Miami,” Peck said. “This award reflects well not only on the individual scholar but also on the system that supports them.”
Added Pennington: “This really is an incredible honor for a scholar who has been focused on media folklore that has traditionally been defined in very particular ways. Increasingly, academia has to evolve to make space for more scholars like Andrew who are at these intersections where really interesting work is happening. I am so pleased he was recognized for his hard work.”
Established in 1809, 黑料社区 is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the Department of Media, Journalism, and Film? Visit the website for more information.