Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Becoming a professional stranger Core Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology Goals for today • Define ethnography and fieldwork • Introduce the core cultural anthropology research methods • Offer some examples of these methods in action • Summarize some personal attributes of anthropologists • Outline some ways you can practice being a “professional stranger” Photo: Anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski in Papua New Guinea, c. 1915. What is ethnography? Emic, Etic, huh? • Ethnography is an approach to learning about the social and cultural life of a community or a setting. It is a story of events that takes place in a natural, local setting. • Emic refers to the “insider’s perspective” • Etic refers to your perspective • Goal of anthropology is to document human experience from the perspective of the people you are studying with. Emic and Etic perspectives What is ethnography? • Ethnographic studies involve long-term, face-to-face interactions and participation to help answer a question. • Ethnography uses the concept of culture as a lens to observe, describe, and explain results. • Ethnographies use emic perspectives to emphasize insider viewpoints and meanings. • Anthropologists then interpret these meanings, actions, and beliefs into one or more stories of culture. 1 Bronislaw Malinowski = LeBron Where do ethnographers work? • Often called the father of ethnography • Studied “salvage ethnography” (= hurry up before its gone!) • Role of ethnography was to “grasp the native’s point of view” • Ethnography is changing to become more reflexive. • The settings for using anthropological research methods are endless! • Anthropologist seen as mediator • Can never arrive at the “true truth” • Can use “thick description” (Geertz) Where do ethnographers work? Where do ethnographers work? • Traditionally, ethnographers work “in the field,” and what they do is called fieldwork. • The field can be a physical location, such as a newsroom. • The field can also be an Internet chat room, and the picture would still apply! • Fieldwork sites can range from the 1950’s American kitchen, to banana plantations in Costa Rica, to HIV clinics in Zimbabwe. Fieldwork Fieldwork • Fieldwork is very exciting, and lets you “try out” the core methods you will learn today. •Entering the field to do your research requires some studying up on: * * * * * Napoleon Chagnon & Yanomamo Indians, Brazil rules boundaries norms behaviors language The research methods of cultural anthropology will help you! • The best part is, you get to define the field! 2 Core Research Methods Qualitative Methods Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods • Do background work • Counting • Build trust in the field • Census-taking • Contact informants • Mapping and GIS • Interviews/life histories (genealogies) • Surveys • Observation/participant observation • Field notes and journals • Qualitative methods are methods used to learn about things cannot be easily counted, mapped, surveyed, or understood without the help of others. • May include values, beliefs, politics from an emic perspective • Questionnaires Quantitative Methods First things first: background work • Quantitative methods are methods that involve counting, frequency, numbers, and statistics. • Uses an etic perspective (that of the researcher) • Can involve something simple like obtaining permission from a teacher to do research in her classroom • Can also involve something difficult like learning a language • Should always involve reading the Code of Ethics of the American Anthropological Association • Visit the HRAF Files Next steps: Build trust Informants: Your “in” to the field • Rapport refers to building relationships in the field that are ethical, personal, and based on trust. • Informants are people with expertise in your research topic. • Establishing rapport will help give you access to privileged situations, people, conversations, and information. • Humor is a great way to break through cultural boundaries. • They are also called gatekeepers because they are your best bet for access and information. Informants can teach you many things you didn’t know about. These include: • customs • rituals • histories • gender roles • Appearance, comfort level, reactions to new information all mark the process of building rapport with others. Nisa, a Dobe Ju’/Hoansi woman and key informant 3 Informants: Your “in” to the field Observation & participant observation Informants can also teach you the logistical basics of your field site • when the bus arrives (or in some cases, the water!) • advice on clothing • where the doctors live • what to do in case of an emergency • Observation and participant observation are the strongest tricks of the trade you have! Informants can help guide you to others that can help your research in the field. This is called a snowball method. • Observation = watching, but not doing • Participant observation = watching and doing Observation is your frame of sight Participant observation – Dive in! • Observation refers to what can be seen through the eyes of the ethnographer • What can you observe? --Settings --Events and event sequences --Gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences • Participant observation is always defined by your presence at an event, and your immersion in it • Be careful not to participate in illegal activities Interviewing and life histories Life histories • Interviews can be structured or unstructured • Life histories are also sometimes called narratives of experience • Interviews capture in a participants’ own words what they see, believe, and report doing (there’s that emic perspective again!) • Think of life histories as storytelling from the informant, or interviewee • Focus on what they are saying and also how they are saying it (body language, etc.) • Allows you to get an historical account and sequence of events in someone’s life. Photos: Courtesy of Illinois Center for Folklife • Open and closed-ended questions Photos: Courtesy of Illinois Center for Folklife 4 Field notes and journals Journals • Field notes are accounts of what you are observing, tasting, hearing, but NOT feeling Journals are special field notes that include your own: • Biases • Feelings • Problems • Frustrations • Ideas • Successes • Perspectives • Field notes use “thick” description of an event, situation, person, etc. • On Friday, April 14, 2006, Jill, an approximately 5’4” Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes, opened up a small cup of Yoplait brand fat free blueberry yogurt at 2:19 p.m. She put away all of her books, papers, pencils, and sat alone next to the vending machine in the east corner of the cafeteria. After three minutes of eating in silence, the entire cup of yogurt was gone, and Jill took a long sigh, closed her eyes, licked her lips and said “MMMMM” before she threw the cup in the recycling bin. Quantitative Methods Journals are a good way to recognize your own limitations and your own “baggage” that you bring with you to the field. Quantitative Methods •Counting: # of houses on a street, how many people in Manhattan say “fawth flaw” or “fourth floor” •Census-taking: Every person, household, family, or unit in relation to the interest of the anthropologist. • Mapping/GIS: where the water is in relation to the trash dump, where women sleep vs. where children sleep • Surveys: Best for when you need a little bit of information from a very large group of people (example: President Bush’s approval rating) • Questionnaires: A slate of questions that are not census-like but are closer to your research interest Census-taker in Fallujah, Iraq. © Reuters Summary: A recipe for success in the field • • • • • • Equal parts “emic” perspective and rapport A handful of trusted informants or gatekeepers Observation and participant observation, blended well A heavy sprinkling of interviews A thick, hearty bunch of field notes & journals Quantitative methods: add as needed for taste So you want to be an ethnographer? WANTED • • • • • • • • Adventurous, resourceful, enthusiastic individuals Must be team players Strong listening and questioning skills Curiosity and a good memory added bonuses! Must be able to communicate well and take risks Must be comfortable with ambiguity and the unknown Sense of humor is always a plus! Must be friendly, sociable, and have a strong sense of responsibility If this sounds like you….then welcome! 5 Thank you for listening! Any questions or comments? 6