The Thing That Lives in the Woods: Anthropology of Folklore & Urban Legends
Susan Lanigan
Average rating:4.8Number of reviews:(242)
Folklore and urban legends aim to teach us cultural lessons about what we should and shouldn't do -- from Little Red Riding Hood to Bloody Mary, the history of these stories offers insight into what makes us truly human.
Class experience
US Grade 6 - 9
As long as humans have been living in groups, gathering around the campfire after dark to stay safe and warm, there has been folklore. Originating as warning stories or as a method to teach important moral lessons, they have evolved throughout the millennia into a form of spooky entertainment: urban legends. This class will explore both historical folklore and modern urban legends, attempting to discover the origins of these fun and sometimes creepy stories, including what they try to teach...
I earned my BA in Cultural Anthropology from Tulane University in 2012, and became fascinated with the stories that people tell, and why they tell them. My undergraduate honour's thesis focused on mythology and how it relates to funerary/mortuary practices, but in my research, I discovered many other types of stories, and the value and importance they have in understanding cultures. Urban legends are a personal favourite of mine as far as "types" of stories go, because many of them have striking similarities even if they are from cultures that have no contact with each other. If we find stories of the same kind all over the world, throughout history, it always makes me wonder if somewhere, at the heart of these tales, there is an element of truth. That mystery is my favourite part of life!
Homework Offered
Students will have the option of a research project and/or presentation on an urban legend of their choosing. Information about the project will be given in week 4.0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
The subject matter of the class can often be spooky, and contain some horror-type elements including violence, abduction, etc. Topics that can be touched on or brought up by students include ghosts, aliens, serial killers, spirits/demons, and other possibly sensitive material. None of these elements will deal with any type of sexual content. The intent of the class is not to highlight the frightening elements of these stories, but to look beyond them. However, if your learner is prone to dwell on these themes in a way that causes them any type of lingering distress (such as nightmares), they should not enroll. If you have questions about the content and how it might affect your learner prior to enrolling, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Average rating:4.8Number of reviews:(242)
Hi everyone! My name is Susan, and I have a BA in Cultural Anthropology and an MA in Bioarchaeology, as well as a BFA in Theatre Performance from Tulane University in beautiful New Orleans, LA. I love anything related to the humanities and the...
Group Class
$140
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
45 min
Completed by 94 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
2-14 learners per class
