BA Community Studies in Folklore in Sydney Canada | Cape Breton University

Examining a community's folklore provides important understanding of how that group functions in society, while also uncovering biases, prejudices, and other barriers to broader perspectives. Typically, folklore finds expression through specific forms like stories, songs, celebrations, architecture, and crafts. While each group may present these forms uniquely, they appear similarly across different cultures, allowing folklore studies to explore both specific contexts and universal patterns of cultural expression. At CBU, students develop hands-on abilities in interviewing, fieldwork, and ethnographic research while learning about global heritage policies. The interdisciplinary approach of folklore encourages exchanging ideas, methodologies, and perspectives with other fields. This collaborative learning environment equips folklore students with versatile skills for diverse career paths.

Cape Breton hosts several unique linguistic and cultural communities, including Mi'kmaq, Scottish Gaelic, and Acadian populations. The region boasts Canada's sole African Orthodox Church, the only Ukrainian and Polish churches east of Montreal, and a thriving multicultural society with descendants of Italian, Greek, Jewish, and Lebanese immigrants, among others. Folklore students at CBU have access to state-of-the-art technology, software, and facilities. The Digitization Lab provides audio and video equipment for ethnographic fieldwork and interviews, while the Media Interpretation and Reception Lab supports video recording of group discussions and focus sessions. CBU also houses the Beaton Institute and Mi'kmaq Resource Centre - outstanding archives offering primary historical sources about Cape Breton's cultural heritage. These institutions frequently accept student research contributions, enabling learners to create lasting resources for future scholars.