Scottish Folklore And Oral Traditions

Description

This course introduces students to the principal aspects of Scottish oral traditions from historical times to the present. It should appeal to both international and local students who are interested in learning more about traditional culture in Scotland, as well as the disciplines of Ethnology, Folklore, and Ethnomusicology. The course will introduce students to the internationally-renowned wealth of Scottish oral traditions, including Scots song, Gaelic song, ballads, folk narrative (folktales, legends, jokes, riddles, proverbs), vernacular medicine, place-names, instrumental music, and dance. Guest artists will demonstrate these genres in class so that students can watch, listen, and experience tradition first-hand. Students will not only study the history of these art forms, but also the contexts from which they have emerged and how they are carried on today.