Vexillologist loves flags
Many people like flags, but some take their interest to the nth degree. Those people are called vexillologists, meaning those who study the history, lore and meaning of flags.
One such person is Scot Guenter, a professor of American Studies at San Jose State University. He agreed to answer some questions about his fascination with flags.
Q. When did you become interested in flags – and why?
A. Flags and stamps from around the world intrigued me even before I went to kindergarten. I became particularly interested in flags as a scholarly pursuit when, in graduate school, I was studying children’s magazines of 19th-century America and discovered shifting significance and representation of the national banner. This led to a master’s thesis on that topic, and that prodded me to broaden my doctoral work to a general analysis of the shifting meanings and uses of the flag in American society.
Q. What are your favorite flags – and why?
A. That’s a tough question. For now, I’ll say the American flag, because I have spent so much of my life studying its meaning and uses; the flag of Nepal, because it’s so distinctive and I once organized a Nepal Day in my community and was given a treasured Nepali flag by the Nepalese friends I worked with; and the flag of the Land of Oz, because imaginary places can be very fun, too. I once used it in lieu of a personal flag at an event when personal flags were called for, and I didn’t have one.
Q. What are some reasons someone should consider joining a vexillology group?
A. Learning about flags is fun (just ask Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory on CBS) and connects to such a wide range of other things to learn: art and design, history, politics, cultural geography, religion, law. Anyone is welcome to participate and contribute information, conduct research, and share it with others. Vexillological gatherings aren’t stuffy; folks are easygoing, friendly, welcoming to all.
Vexillology is about the study of flags, but any vexillophile (lover of flags) can, within that big tent, find others who share his or her particular interest, such as military reenactment, flag design, flag collecting, or a subgroup, such as flags of the British Empire, city flags or flags on stamps. You can become an authority in a special subarea even while learning about other areas you never considered.
(For more about vexillology, go to www.nava.org.)