Folklore: Folk art & craft, folk medicine, foodways
Emma Bussard is the Graduate Assistant for the Folklore Program at George Mason University. She is currently an MA student in the Folklore Program. She is interested in studying folk art and craft, folk medicine, and foodways during her time at Mason.
In recent years, she has been working on a research project alongside a professor at the University of West Georgia to document and study traditional handicraft and heritage tourism in Malawi.
Emma previously worked as the Communication Specialist at Peace Corps Malawi. Prior to that, she served for 12 months as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Liberia (2017-18) and for 27 months in Malawi (2014-16).
In her spare time, she throw pottery and takes photos.
Traditional Craft & Heritage Tourism in Malawi with Dr. Ann McCleary, University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Georgia).
“Liberia National Museum Exhibit Review. ” In The Public Historian, Vol. 41, No. 3, Aug 2019
“Creating a Wood Carving Tradition in Malawi. ” In Makers, Crafters, Educators: Working for Cultural Change, edited by Elizabeth Garber, Lisa Hochtritt, and Manisha Sharma, Routledge, Sep 2018.
“The Mandala: A Comparison of Eastern and Western Views.” In University of North Carolina Asheville, Journal of Undergraduate Research, Spring 2013.
“Path to the Self: Exploring the Relationship between Iconography, Religion, and Identity.” In University of North Carolina Asheville, Journal of Undergraduate Research, Spring 2013.
BS, Health and Wellness Promotions. UNC-Asheville, 2013.
BA, Ceramics. UNC-Asheville, 2013.
“Returning to Malawi: One Year Later.” Peace Corps Malawi website, July 2017.