山东大学是国内较早开展民俗学和民间文学教学与科研的高校之一。20世纪 80 年代我国民俗学恢复之初，我校中文系便已开设民俗学硕士研究生课程。1984 年，我校筹建社会学系时设立有民俗学教研室。1985年创办了《民俗研究》杂志。1987 年 11 月，在原社会学系民俗学教研室的基础上成立山东大学民俗学研究所，该所当时是国内唯一有独立建制的民俗学专业研究机构。 2002 年山东大学文史哲研究院成立，民俗学研究所并入研究院。徐经泽教授、叶涛教授曾先后担任本所所长，现任所长张士闪教授。
山东大学的民间文学研究有着悠久的历史。早在 20 世纪30年代，闻一多先生的神话学研究就是在青岛山东大学任教期间完成的。20 世纪 50 年代，我校是国内最早开设民间文学课程的高校之一。关德栋教授的俗文学和敦煌学研究在国际学术界有较大影响，李万鹏教授的中国曲艺和民间小戏研究、叶涛教授的中国戏曲民俗研究、张士闪教授的艺术民俗学研究在国内也独树一帜。
1998年山东大学成为我国首批民俗学硕士学位授予权单位，该硕士点下设理论民俗学、中国民俗史、比较民俗学和区域民俗研究 4 个研究方向。2002年山东大学获得中国民间文学博士学位授予权，该博士点下设民间文学、中国民间文学史、民俗与民间叙事研究 3 个研究方向。民间文学硕士点下设中国民间文学理论研究、中国民间文学史、中国俗文学与俗文学史、当代民间文学研究 4 个研究方向。
民俗学研究所现有在职研究人员5名，其中教授 2 名，副教授 1 名，讲师 2 名，另有校内外兼职研究人员多名。中国民俗学会副理事长、博士生导师齐涛教授，研究方向为中国民俗史和中国古代社会史，主要著作有《中国民俗史论》、《魏晋隋唐乡村社会研究》、《丝绸之路探源》等。中国民俗学会副理事长兼秘书长、博士生导师叶涛教授的研究方向为民俗学民间文学基础理论、中国民间信仰和区域民俗，主要著作有《民俗学导论》、《中国民俗》、《泰山石敢当》、《中国牛郎织女传说》等。张士闪教授的研究方向为民俗学基础理论、艺术民俗学，主要著作有《乡民艺术的文化解读》、《中国艺术民俗学》等。著名民俗学家、民间文艺学家刘铁梁教授为本所中国民间文学专业兼职博士生导师，刘德龙研究员和刘徳增教授为本所兼职硕士生导师。
本所教师承担着多项国家、省部和学校的科研课题，其中正在进行调研的课题有：“中国古代乡村宗族研究”(教育部重点课题)、“社会转型与精神重建：20世纪华北村落民俗艺术研究”(国家社会科学基金艺术学项目)、“华北乡村社会姻亲关系研究”(国家社会科学基金青年课题)、“泰山信仰与中国社会”(教育部重大课题子课题)等。此外还多次与日本、韩国、德国等国家和香港、台湾的学者联合进行田野调查，共同开展相关课题的研究。由齐涛担任主编、叶涛担任副主编的国家重点出版规划项目――《中国民俗通志》，是目前国内规模最大的专题民俗文化丛书，自 2006 年起陆续由山东教育出版社陆续推出。
山东大学主办、民俗学研究所负责编辑的《民俗研究》杂志，是目前国内唯一公开发行的民俗学理论刊物。《民俗研究》杂志创办于 1985 年 10 月，1988 年起国内外公开发行。该刊是CSSCI来源期刊，中国人文社会科学核心期刊，在国内外学术界享有较高声誉。该杂志曾先后与山东画报出版社、山东教育出版社协办。《民俗研究》杂志由国内知名学者组成编委会，编委会主任为齐涛教授。徐经泽教授、李万鹏教授等先后担任杂志主编，现任主编为叶涛教授。
民俗学研究所现为山东省首批非物质文化遗产重点研究基地。挂靠在山东大学的山东省民俗学会，秘书处也设在该所。
Shandong University is one of earliest unit with its teaching and research of folklore in China. As early as 1980s when folklore study was rebuilt in China, folklore courses were given to the postgraduates in Shandong University. In 1984, the folklore teaching and research office was set up. In 1985 the academic journal of folklore—Folklore Studies began to issue. In 1987, the Folklore Research Center with its independent designation in Shandong University was set up. In 2002, the Research Center of Folklore was integrated into the Institute of Literature, History and Philosophy. Prof. Xu Jingze and Ye Tao used to be the director successively. The present director is Prof. Zhang Shishan.
The research of folk literature in Shandong University has a long history. As early as 1930s, Mr. Wen Yiduo had already completed his mythology research while he worked as a teacher in this University. During 1950s, the courses of folk literature were as a pioneer taught to students. Prof. Guan Dedong’s research in popular literature and Dunhuangnology made important influence in the international academia. Prof. Li Wanpeng’s research in Chinese Quyi (Chinese folk art forms) and folk small dramas, Professor Yetao’s research in Chinese opera folklore and Professor Zhang Shishan’s artistic folklore research are all unique in the domestic academia.
In 1998, Shandong University became one of the first universities which obtained the master’s degree conferral right for folklore. In 2002, Shandong University obtained the doctor’s degree conferral right for Chinese folk literature. The doctoral program has three research directions: folk literature, the history of Chinese folk literature, folklore and folk narrative. Folk literature master program has four research directions: theory research of Chinese folk literature, the history of Chinese folk literature, Chinese popular literature and the history of Chinese popular literature, the research of the present folk literature.
At present, there are 5 full-time researchers in this center as follows: Zhang Shishan, Ye Tao (chair professor), Li Hao, Diao Tongju, and Wang Jiahua. Among them, there are two professors, one associate professor and two lecturers. Prof. Ye Tao is the Vice Board Chairman of China Folklore Society and holds concurrently General Secretary of China Folklore Society, with his research directions of the basic folklore theories and folk literature, Chinese folk belief and regional folklore. Professor Zhang Shishan’ research directions are the basic folklore theories and artistic folklore. Besides, there are several part-time researchers, such as Prof. Qi Tao, who is the Vice Board Chairman of China Folklore Society and Doctoral Supervisor, with his research directions of the Chinese folklore history and the history of ancient Chinese society; Prof. Liu Tieliang, who is a famous scholar of folklore and folk literature and art, Doctoral Supervisor; Research Fellow Liu Delong and Prof. Liu Dezeng, who are master supervisors in this center.
The teachers in this center are in charge of many national, provincial and ministerial or university scientific research projects. The investigating projects as follows: Research in Chinese Ancient Country Agnation (key task project of the Education Ministry); Social Transformation and Reconstruction of Spirits---- Research in North China’Village folklore art of 20th Century (the artistic project of the national social science fund); Research in Marriage Relationship of Rural society of North China ( the youth projet of national social science fund) ; Mount Tai Worship and Chinese Society( a sub project of great subject of the Education Ministry)etc. Besides, they often cooperate with the scholars from Japan, Korea, Germany, Hong Kong and Taiwan to carry out field work, and also start relational research together. Chinese Folklore General Records, the key project of national publishing plan, is the biggest series of folklore culture. The editor in chief of the series is Professor Qi Tao and the subeditor is Professor Ye Tao. The series has been published in succession by Shandong Education Press since 2006.
Folklore Studies, sponsored by Shandong University and editted by this center, is the only academic journal of folklore that is published in China. Folklore Studies was started in October 1985 and published domestically and abroad from 1988. The journal is one of CSSCI Original Periodicals and is also one of the core periodicals of Chinese humanistic social science, enjoying a good reputation in domestic and abroad academia. The editorial committee of Folklore Studies is made up of the domestic famous scholars. The director of the editorial committee is Professor Qi Tao. Professor Xujingze and Professor Li Wanpeng had successively served as the chief editor of the periodical. The present editor in chief is Professor Ye Tao.
At present, the Folklore Research Institute is one of the first important bases, which carry out the research in intangible culture heritage in Shandong Province. Shandong Folklore Society is a titular academic organization in Shandong University and its Secretariat is located in this research center.
