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Media Research in Applied Anthropology Society for Applied Anthropology Wednesday, March 28, 2007 Session Format • Introduction to session: Media Research in Applied Anthropology • Presentations: – Amy Goldmacher, Wayne State – Diane Pawlowski, Wayne State • Themes: – Methods to consider and use from Anthropology – Methods to consider and use from other disciplines • Roundtable discussion Virtually an Anthropologist: Negotiating Distributed Work by Amy Goldmacher, PhD Candidate Wayne State University Department of Anthropology Virtually An Anthropologist • How to conduct research project on distributed work? • How to conduct a remote project remotely? • How to research technology use in remote settings? • What other methods should be considered? The Role of Culture in Managing Change in a Global Auto. Co. • Design a project using anthropological theory and methods • Cultural ecology (Steward 1955): differences in work groups created and maintained by complex relationships among diverse populations (Baba 1995) • Change directed from the top down assumes organizational similarity Design and Methods • Global Automotive (GA) undergoing several concurrent significant changes – Regional reorganization – Info. Tech. Svcs. (ITS) separation • Change Management (CM) team (part of ITS) – 8 members • Participant observation (n=7) and informal interviews (n=3) – Work group interdependencies – Organizational cultural beliefs or values – How culture enables or inhibits change Findings • Interdependence of individuals, work groups, and work processes: – Coordination is important for connecting parts of org. system – One part of system cannot be changed without affecting rest of the system • Cultural beliefs and values: – Conflicting models mean no shared understanding about org. values across groups – Differences in beliefs constrain implementation of change – Supporting implementation of change will be unique to discrete groups because each work group and local work context is different Levels of Culture National Organizational Occupational Limitations of the Study • Not embedded in research context • Project constrained by pace and content of academic course • Conflicting demands of CM team’s goals, methods, time, and budget • Small sample size of study population • Additional methods and analytical techniques would complement anthropological approach (and be more obvious to client) Virtually an Anthropologist • Listserv: Anthrodesign • “Members share common interest of applying ethnographic techniques and social sciences theory to industrial, software, and other types of product design” • Discussion on “remote methods” “Remote” Methods • • • • Digital photos Remote screen sharing Online usage diaries “Casting participants as storytellers of their own narrative” - e.g., the $17 haircut • “in the process of moving from a work around to a distinct research medium with its own conventions, strengths, weaknesses, and methods” • How you do it (method) vs. when and why you do it (theory) • “the more technological fields (HCI, product design) seem to be exploring remote or technologically-mediated methods” “The Virtual Ethnographer” • Ruhleder (2000)’s description of two studies of technology-mediated work: 1. New work practices around shared online databases and video teleconferencing • • Ethnographers needed to develop technical competence in database Videotaping of videoconferences at multiple sites to capture multi-sited event 2. Virtual classroom • • • • Participating in virtual forums Analyzing text archives “Dull” videos, but useful when participants “think aloud” Call for “strong practice around virtual ethnography” Ethnographers on the Run: Working with the Working Press? by Diane R. Pawlowski, PhD Wayne State University Department of Anthropology Why the interdisciplinary ill-will? Why don’t reporters quote more anthropologists? Why don’t they see anthropologists as “experts”? Why aren’t anthropologists recognized for our important research and knowledge? What can we teach, learn from each other? Need to finally recognize similar methods Both try giving voice to the voiceless When Anthropology fails to communicate… • Anthropology’s voice: muffled ? • Informants’ voices: stilled & lost Provocative Anthropology-Journalism Parallels • Both writing disciplines • Journalists write to pay the rent • Anthropologists write to pay academic dues • Is this difference why we cloak our findings, almost hiding them from the general public? • Do we fear only unlucky students, reviewers and editors ever read what we write? Anthropology’s hidden role teaching journalists After Introductory, Cultural Anthropology courses: • Reporters: cultural trend spotters • Feature writers: find, test, document new words • Once written, new language enters the lexicon • Their villages: our cities, businesses, etc • Reporters: ethnographers on the run Finding new keys to open anthropological writing • Nurture relationships with journalists • Initiate joint collaborative projects • Reporting: “history on the run”? No way! …it’s ethnography on the run A brief self-examination of anthropological conscience • Interviewing make interviewers uncomfortable • No, they’re not doing it our way…but could we learn to be better ethnographers from reporters? • Working press & Working anthropologists share worlds of editors, deadlines • No, we are not “consummate experts!” Anthropology does NOT have all the answers, but we can help reporters find good solutions Lessons anthropologists need to learn • Reporters work on deadline: they love scientists who will help them • Anthropologists refusing access cause harm to cities, to individuals, to our discipline • Collaboration and trusting relationships help both disciplines build a better world Open Discussion • Questions? • Methods of data collection and analysis to consider and use – “experimental” or “remote” methods? – when and why? • Other disciplines’ methods? • “Global insecurities, global solutions, and applied anthropology in the 21st century”?