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OSEA Winter Course Syllabi OSEA Winter Quarter Seminar in Ethnography This course provides students the foundations of ethnography as the core research methodology and fieldwork practice of cultural anthropology. Schedule of Topics 1. Introduction: Ethics, Morals & Fieldwork 2. Participant Observation I: Doing Fieldwork & Being in the Field 3. Documentation: The Documentary Method, Recording Technologies, Field Notes 4. Objectivism & Subjectivism: Description, Reflexivity, Positioning 5. Participant Observation II: Performativity, Interaction, Dialogue 6. Research Design I: The Research Problem, Objects of Study, Approaches 7. Research Design II: Strategies and Tactics, Methods and Questions 8. Research Design III: Staging, Installation, and Analytical Sites of Fieldwork 9. Talking and Listening: Interviewing, Focus Groups, Conversation 10. Looking: Vision, the Visual, and the Methods of Seeing 11. Coding, Data Analysis, Transcription, Archival Systems, Storage 12. Ethics of Fieldwork Engagement I: Subjectivity, Self, Conduct 13. Morals of Representation: Duty, Obligations, Responsibility 14. Ethics of Fieldwork Engagement II: Transcultural Ethics, the Other TEXTBOOKS Bernard Russell, editor, Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Bernard Russell, Research Methods in Anthropology. 2nd Edition. Harry Wolcott, The Art of Fieldwork. Altamira Press. Additional Readings Peter Pels, “Profession of Duplexity” in Current Anthropology, 1999 vol. 40 (3): 101-136 Carolyn Fleuhr-Lobban, ch 1, pp. 1-28, in Ethics in the Profession of Anthropology Aull Davies, ch 1 pp. 3-25, in Reflexive Ethnography Renato Rosaldo, chap. 8 “Subjectivity in Social Analysis” in Culture and Truth Dennis Tedlock, ch from Spoken Word and Work of Interpretation Alain Coulon, pp. 15-44, in Ethnomethodology Kamela Viswaswaran, selection from Feminist Ethnography Castañeda, “The Research Problem: Questions, Objects of Study & Research Design” ms. Castañeda, “Invisible Theatre: Manifesto for an Ontology of Fieldwork” ms. Castañeda, “Ethics for the Other: Transculturation & Research Positioning” ms. Agosto Boal, introduction to his book, Games for Actors and Non-Actors Harold Garfinkel, Studies in Ethnomethdology, pp. 35-60, 76-80, 94-103 Clifford, “Power & Dialogue in Ethnography: Griaule”, Predicaments of Culture, pp. 55-91 George Marcus, “Multi-Sited Ethnography” inEthnography Through Thick and Thin Gupta and Ferguson, intro from their book on Places of Fieldwork John Van Maanen, “Moral Fix: Ethics of Fieldwork” in Contemporary Field Research Deborah Battaglia, “Ethics: Toward an Open Subject” in H. Moore, Anthro Theory Today Graham Burchell, ch. 1, “Lib. Govt. & Tech. of Self” in Foucault & Political Reason pp. 19-36. Michel Foucault, pp. 81-92, in Foucault Reader on Ethics Ruth Behar, selections fromTranslated Woman Johannes Fabian, selections from Time and the Other Seminar Students are expected to have read the readings for the seminar in advance of class time and to be prepared to discuss the reading materials. The course evaluation is based on seminar participation and the completion of small writing assignments and activities that are given during seminars in relationship to specific topics. Additionally, the evaluation is based on the completion of two major products. The first is a statement of the research problem and the second is a research design. The precise nature of these are explained in class. The aim of the course is to provide students with the tools to conduct the research that they have proposed in the definition of their research problem and their research design. Schedule Seminars meet between two and three and half hours, depending upon the precise schedule of the specific program (Winter Quarter, Summer, January Program, etc.). Please check the provided schedule. Course work is 35 hours of classroom time equivalent to 3 credit hours. Students are encouraged to purchase three main text books for this class. The other reading materials are compiled in a course packet for purchase on-site in Yucatán. Some materials are available in electronic form and provided without cost. |