Paper short abstract:

Discussion about why it can by helpful to use folklore in social studies for teenagers. Built on teaching material in folklore for Secondary School. It focuses on the student and his folklore and how it links people together but at the same time divides it in groups.

Paper long abstract:

The main question of the research is how it´s possible to use folklore in teaching and how a subject like folklore touches the daily life of young people. By knowing yourself and your background and how different aspects of society mold you it helps the students to realise what effects their views on life and society. At the same time it shows them how every one of us molds the society and changes it while at the same time the society molds and controls their daily actions. We are all a part of some society, constantly changing because of our actions. By doing that the students have a possibility to look at themselves, reviewing traditions, stories and material culture. They get to reflect themselves in the society, both the present and past and see the common threads that connect different times and different cultures.

By seeing the similarities between different groups which seem, at first sight, to have nothing in common should increase their tolerance and compassion, endorsing better and more enlightening communication, not only between the students themselves or different generations but also different ethnic groups within societies. It´s there that the folkloristic take on a given subject is useful and should be able to widen the perspective of the group of people that will inherit the society.