American Studies and Students of American Things

Abstract

ALMOST A DECADE HAS ELAPSED SINCE A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE AMERICAN Quarterly surveyed teaching, research, and writing of scholars who use artifacts as important evidence in documentation and interpretation of American experience.' In interim, much work has been done, prompting Edith Mayo to note recently that the use of objects as source materials for scholarship has been increasingly legitimized by growth of American Studies programs which are now in forefront in their work with objects.2 In light of both passage of time and new scholarly developments, it seemed appropriate to reassess progress, problems, and potential of material culture studies in America. In order to accomplish this ambitious task, I solicited essays from a number of individuals whom I felt knew scope and significance of material culture evidence within each of their respective disciplines. These areas included: cultural geography, vernacular architecture, history of technology, decorative arts, and folklife studies. Initially an essay on social history was also planned, but that has since been published in another journal.3 From start I recognized that even a bibliographic issue of this breadth could be but a partial overview of domain of material culture research. Hence I candidly acknowledge two of obvious limitations of this survey at outset. Inasmuch as they have been treated elsewhere, I decided not to devote essays to disciplines such as art and architectural history, cultural anthropology, and historical archaeology-areas of study that have