Certificate - Folklore

Program description

Cape Breton Island is a cultural hotspot with a diverse landscape of customs and lore. Folklore has traditionally been defined as the study of informal society. The study of folklore of a group provides valuable insights into how that group functions in the world, but it also exposes biases, prejudices, and other barriers to a more inclusive worldview. Folklore is often expressive and manifests itself in specific forms, such as story and song, celebration and feast, architecture and craft. Although each group manifests these forms differently, they recur in similar ways across cultures, so folklore analyses both the specific context and the general formal patterns of expressive culture.

Folklore students take a mix of regional folklore classes (primarily about folklore in Atlantic Canada) and courses stressing genres and issues after receiving a thorough introduction to folklore genres, analytical approaches, and ethnographic methods (such as urban legend, gender, food and cultural tourism).

Students at CBU acquire practical skills in interviewing, fieldwork, and ethnographic research, as well as an understanding of international heritage policy. The interdisciplinary nature of folklore encourages people to share their worries, methods, and insights with others. Folklore students gain skills and knowledge applicable to a broad range of careers through this group learning dynamic.