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   MLitt and Diploma in Ethnology and Folklore

identity · cultural change · emigration and · immigration · Scottish diaspora
custom and belief · narrative · song · childlore · music and dance · oral history · material culture

research training, placements and study opportunities

The new MLitt programme in Ethnology and Folklore

• trains graduates in the arts, humanities, and social sciences for research in Ethnology and Folklore
• can be taken full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months)
• can lead to an MLitt or a Diploma
• equips successful candidates to embark on doctoral research, or to work in museums, archives, education or other cultural fields.

The degree covers the theory and practice of Ethnology and Folklore. It aims to develop a broad-based understanding of how the disciplines evolved, and offer an introduction to the major genres of study - material culture, custom and belief, oral narrative, childlore and games, sports and pastimes - with a special concentration on Scottish materials. Graduates from a variety of backgrounds will gain a knowledge of the concepts, skills and methodologies of ethnology and folklore. While the course is designed to be worthwhile in itself, it will also give graduates a sound basis for further research at doctoral or post-doctoral level.

The programme includes:

• the history and evolution of Ethnology and Folklore in relation to the major genres, and to contemporary issues such as reflexivity, identity, ethics and gender
• case studies involving the application of ethnology and folklore concepts to issues in contemporary Scottish society, including cultural change and stability, language evolution, emigration and immigration, and the 'invented Scot'.

Resources

Students will have access to the Elphinstone Institute's specialised library and its sound and video archive, the extensive resources of the University Historic Collections Division, including the excellent ethnographic holdings of Marischal Museum.

Course members will be part of the Research and Graduate Programme in Social Anthropology, Ethnology and Cultural History and have full access to its seminar programme.

Courses

1. History and Core Genres of Ethnology and Folklore
2. Oral Traditions
3. Intellectual Backgrounds and Methodologies
4. Scottish Contexts and Practical Fieldwork
5. Dissertation

Assessment

Assessment for the degree will be based on 3 essays, 2 presentations and 4 examination papers, along with class participation (Courses 1-4). Assessment for Course 5 will be based on the dissertation and on preparatory written and oral work.

Entry Requirements:

Normally a good undergraduate degree in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.

Staff involved in the course

Staff and associates of the Elphinstone Institute will be contributing to the teaching of the courses. They include,

• Dr Ian Russell, Director - ethnology and oral traditions, including music, drama and speech
• Professor W F H Nicolaisen, Honorary Research Fellow - ethnology, folk narrative, name studies, Scottish place names
• Dr Colin Milton, Associate Director - dialect and vernacular writing, historical sociolinguistics, folklore
• Dr Mary Anne Alburger, Honorary Research Fellow - traditional music and song, fiddle making, Scottish music, musicians and dance
• Dr Thomas A McKean, archives and research - oral traditions, songs and ballads, Gaelic tradition, methodology and ethics
• Mr Neil Curtis, Senior Curator, Marischal Museum - material culture, archaeology

Ethnology and Folklore are concerned with the question of how cultural identity is transmitted, maintained, and adapted. Ethnologists analyse the social, political, economic, and psychological forces that shape cultural life in its widest sense - from customs, oral tradition and beliefs to artefacts and food production. They investigate how the traditions of a community, region or country relate to contemporary issues of identity and community, and how these issues are represented in public and private life.

The Elphinstone Institute at the University of Aberdeen is the only research centre specialising in the vigorous vernacular culture of the North East and North of Scotland, and one of very few centres of excellence in the UK for the study of ethnology and folklore.

North East Scotland is known for its traditional singers and fiddlers, and for the Greig-Duncan folksong collection. It is the main European centre for offshore oil and gas activity. Consequently, it offers unmatched opportunities for examining how cultural identity is created, maintained and modified in the face of major demographic, social and economic change.

For further information, contact:

The Elphinstone Institute
King's College · Old Aberdeen AB24 3UB
SCOTLAND

tel +44 (0)1224 272996 · fax +44 (0)1224 272728
Email: elphinstone@abdn.ac.uk

Page last updated: Tuesday, 27-Sep-2005 15:25:26 BST

The Elphinstone Institute
University of Aberdeen · MacRobert Building · King's College · Aberdeen · AB24 5UA
Tel: 01224 272996 · Fax: 01224 272728 · Email: elphinstone@abdn.ac.uk
© 2005 Elphinstone Institute.

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