Ethnographic Methods

1. Ethnographic Methods

2. Learning Objectives • 1. Identify major ethnographic techniques & what type of information is gained from each technique. • 2. Describe ethnographic techniques by identifying specific anthropological examples. • 3. Summarize the methods used by anthropologists to study human populations. • 4. Identify the anthropological sub-discipline that most commonly employs ethnographic methods.

3. Outline of lecture • Review of Scientific Method • Ethnography • Techniques • Survey Research • Ethical Issues

4. Scientific method • Four basic steps: • Ask a question • what this question be based off of? • Formulate a hypothesis • Test the hypothesis • Come to a conclusion – accept or reject the hypothesis • Accept hypothesis = theory

5. Fieldwork • The collection of data ___ _____________________________________________ • Ethnographic process - fieldwork

6. Types of fieldwork • Single-Sited Fieldwork • __________________ • Multi-sited Fieldwork • ______________________ ____________________ • Movement between _____ • Tracing a _____________ ____________________________________

7. El BarrioAnthropologist: Philippe Bourgois • Award-winning ethno-graphic account of selling crack in El Barrio • Spanish Harlem – 1995: • Single-sited: ___________________ • Multi-sited: ______________________ ________________________________

8. Participant Observation _________________________ _________________________ ________________________

9. Participant Observation • Best way to ___________________________ • ____________________________ • Allows for mental, emotional and physical contact with the individuals

10. Participant Observation • Benefits • 1. • 2. • The Hawthorne effect: • 1.

11. Observation • Look at everything: • Housing, interactions, leaders, work, organization, activities… • Holism • Obtain data – how is this done?

12. Interviews • Interviews • 1. • 2. • What information can be gained from these types of interviews?

13. Dialectic of fieldwork • Process of building a bridge of understanding • Between anthropologist & informants • Why is this important for successful fieldwork? • Example: Komachi, nomadic people in Iran • __________________ And • __________________

14. Different types of data • Qualitative • 1. • 2. • Quantitative • 1. • 2.

15. Risks associated with fieldwork Social violence Disease Culture shock • _________________________________ _________________________________ Unlikable subjects

16. Ethics and Responsibility in Cultural Anthropology • Why did it come about? • Dangers for the subjects • AAA standard code of ethics • ________________________ • ____________________