Simon J. Bronner is distinguished professor of American Studies and Folklore at the Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, USA. He has previously taught at Harvard University, Leiden University, Osaka University and the University of California at Davis. He is the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of American Studies online for Johns Hopkins University Press, Material Worlds Book Series for the University Press of Kentucky; and the Jewish Cultural Studies for Littman. He serves as president of the Fellows of the American Folklore Society.