Here the focus is on phenomena in Finland and in the Baltic Sea region in general. However, the comparative approach brings in cultural phenomena from the rest of the Europe, and many of the research projects in ethnology are in fact carried on outside Finland. In ethnology, as well as in the other subjects taught by the Department of Cultural Studies, fieldwork is an essential method of collecting material. This refers to active gathering of data, on one hand by interviews and observation of real life, and on the other hand by searching data from written fieldwork documents and from the sound and video recordings in the various collections and archives. Through our own publications we are able to disseminate knowledge of everyday life and customs not only to students and teachers of ethnology, but also to various educational and administrative bodies, the business world and others in need of this information.
Ethnology is also a profession.
Research projects and posts employ a few dozen of our graduates. However, the most important areas of work for ethnologists have traditionally been museums of cultural history and municipal cultural offices. Museum directors, curators, assistants, cultural coordinators and managers also often have a background in ethnology. Different branches of the media have for some time been recruiting ethnologists, who have insight into the phenomena of everyday life. With the broadening scope of teaching and research, the opportunities for employment have also increased.