THINK FOLKLORE
Think folklore and do you picture quilts? Think folklore and do you imagine old wives tales and whittling? Think folklore and do you picture ballad singing and dulcimers? Try urban legends instead. Try fashion and values. Try internet chat rooms and body art. Try jokes, foods, holidays, and graffiti.
WHAT FOLKLORE IS
Folklore is group knowledge, art in everyday life. How do you know manners? What to wear to a party? What to sing when the birthday cake comes out? What kind of person to be and values to have? You learned these things from other people and often play a role in passing them on to still others--that's group knowledge. That's folklore.
The study of folklore is fun and develops important skills that can lead to a fruitful and satisfying career. In a nutshell, folklore is not what you think it is--it's much bigger and better than that, and here is what you can do with it.
HOW TO USE A MINOR IN FOLK STUDIES
BA in anthropology + FLK minor
Skillfully research, document, analyze, and present about cultures near and far, illuminating the cultural lives of present-day American groups and more foreign-seeming cultures.
BA in journalism + FLK minor
Be a reporter with advanced abilities to report in-depth on the perspectives of different people involved in all kinds of events.
BA in computer science + FLK minor
Be a digital kiosk designer for museum displays or design digital storytelling programs for schools. Design oral history publications in multimedia formats.
BA in art + FLK minor
Create art that reflects an elevated understanding that art in all forms is deeply cultural in nature. Teach others how to recognize their own artistry in everyday life.
BA in education + FLK minor
Teach children to recognize and value their own traditional lives and those of people who are different from them. Be a more effective teacher because you understand how to handle cultural difference and minimize culture-based conflicts.
BA/BS in anything + FLK minor
Be a better professional in any career because you have training in critical thinking, ethnographic research, cultural difference in multicultural America, listening and presenting, and analyzing the bases for multiple perspectives in common and extraordinary situations.
In addition, if you choose to delve deeper into graduate folk studies, you may seek employment in the National Parks Service, museums, universities, or national, state, and local public folklore positions; you may become a documentary filmmaker, photographer, grant writer, or contract fieldworker. You may even seek academic positions abroad in countries such as Canada, England, Wales, Germany, China, or Japan.
WILL IT HELP ME GET A JOB?
Here, read this:
"Employers tell us that they want employees who can communicate well orally and in writing and who have good listening skills. They want people who work well in teams to solve problems and who can see more than one side of an issue. And they want people who can conduct research; analyze and synthesize the information they gather; present it clearly and concisely, tailored for the appropriate audience; offer supporting arguments; and draw conclusions based on their data."
-Joseph P. Goodwin Ball State University
Could these employers have come any closer to listing the skills needed to become a folklorist? Our work in all settings requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills. If we fail to listen carefully to our informants, we can't conduct fieldwork. We often work with colleagues and have to be flexible to adjust to the many kinds of environments in which we may find our-selves. And we summarize our work by analyzing the information we collect and presenting it to a wide variety of audiences. Not only with additional training in Folk Studies help you get a job, it will contribute to your ability to excel at it and advance quickly.
