Series comprises records created and collected by Richard Apostle documenting his work in the Marginal Work World Research Program, an interdisciplinary and long-term examination of employment and work settings in the Maritime provinces carried out through the Institute of Public Affairs, Dalhousie University. Richard Apostle's research focused on two projects: the General Segmentation Survey, which involved the collection and analysis of private sector employment data across the Maritimes; and the longitudinal Morphology Survey, which sampled low-wage establishments across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, and included managerial personnel and employee interviews. Record types include secondary readings and notes; datasets; agreements; recorded interview and transcripts; manuscripts and published papers; meeting records; and correspondence and memoranda.

Fonds consist of records related to Marian Binkley's extensive research studies on the fishing industry, particularly the health and safety of fishermen and the effects of the industry on their wives and families. Population data and research on the people of Fogo Island over a period of one hundred years is also included. Records consist of correspondence, surveys with fishermen and their wives, research on the fishing industry (particuarly with regard to health problems and fatalities), notes on findings and research, interview transcripts, and audio recordings of the interviews.