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OSEA Winter Course Syllabi
Winter Courses Home
Contemporary
Maya Peoples, Cultures and Histories
Culture Concepts and Theories
Seminar in Ethnography
Fieldwork Forum and Ethnographic
Research
Spoken Spanish and Maya for
Ethnographic Fieldwork
Fieldwork Forum and Ethnographic Research
Description
This course provides students the opportunity to conduct their own
independent fieldwork and research project. The research is based
on the project designed in the ethnography methods seminar. The supervised
fieldwork provides the student a safe space to actualize and put into
practice the independent research project. The guided forum, conducted
in a seminar classroom setting, allows students to honestly, openly,
and ethically discuss the dynamics, processes, and problems of fieldwork
with each other.
Evaluation
Evaluation of student success is based on
(a) the quality of the manner in which the student works through the
processes and dynamics of fieldwork, including proactive participation
in all components;
(b) the submission of a final report which includes analytical discussions
of fieldwork and its results as well as the presentation of research
data and materials according to a pre-given format; and
(c) the archiving, storage, and organization of research data and
materials according to criteria and formats provided the student in
advance.
Research
Students are allowed to develop their research interests in a manner
appropriate to Yucatán, Maya communities, and the structure
of OSEA. Students can be placed in home-stays in a community outside
of Pisté as determined by the OSEA staff. The OSEA staff has
long-standing connections throughout Yucatán, especially with
families belonging to the Presbyterian Church. Students whose research
topic may be more appropriately developed in some other community
that Pisté can request conducting research in alternative community.
In most cases students will want to remain with their Pisté
host family for the duration of their quarter. OSEA reserves the right
to evaluate and determine the final site of research for all students
on the grounds of academic integrity and safety. In cases where students
relocate to a community outside of Pisté, they will be required
to travel on a weekly basis to participate in the fieldwork forum,
which is mandatory for all students.
Schedule
| Unit |
Ethnographic Fieldwork, Methods
& Research |
|
Hrs |
Wk |
| 1 |
Introduction: Ethics, Morals & Fieldwork |
|
3 |
1 |
| 2 |
Participant Observation I: Doing Fieldwork
& Being in the Field |
|
3 |
1 |
| 3 |
Objectivism & Subjectivism: Description,
Reflexivity, & Research Positioning |
|
3 |
2 |
| 4 |
Documentation: Field Notes, The Documentary
Method, Recording Technologies |
|
3 |
2 |
| 5 |
Participant Observation II: Performativity
of Fieldwork, Dialogical Interaction, Staging |
|
3 |
2 |
| 6 |
Research Design I: Research Problem, Objects
of Study, Approaches to Research |
|
3 |
3 |
| 7 |
Research Design II: Strategies & Tactics,
Methods |
|
3 |
3 |
| 8 |
Research Design III: Staging, Installation,
Analytical Sites, Space |
|
3 |
3 |
| 9 |
Talking and Listening: Interviewing, Focus
Groups, Conversation |
|
3 |
4 |
| 10 |
Looking: Vision, the Visual, and Methods
of Seeing |
|
3 |
4 |
| 11 |
Coding, Data Analysis, Transcription,
Archival Systems, Storage |
|
2 |
4 |
| 12 |
Ethics of Fieldwork Engagement I: Subjectivity,
Self, Conduct |
|
2 |
5 |
| 13 |
Morals of Representation: Duty, Obligations,
Responsibility |
|
2 |
5 |
|
