«Экосистемы сюжетов»: эмоциональные и когнитивные модели в современной фольклористике

Abstract

The article deals with one of the central problems of folklore research, the problem of semantic and syntagmatic stability of narrative plots. Infuential 20th-century theories of folklore have not provided us with a clear and consistent solution. New perspectives for understanding of these processes could be discussed in the context of the ‘meme theory’. In the perspective of memetic approach, viability of tale types is determined by their ‘cognitive adaptability’ and social relevance, rather than stable semantics or ‘historical roots’. Examples from present day popular culture, including the dissemination of the so-called ‘happiness cakes’, seem to point towards a certain symbiosis of memes and biological entities. The paper considers elaboration of memetic approach to culture in relation to the actor-network theory, anthropology of emotions, and cognitive science.