Crafting Ethnography
ANTH 208
Fall 2023
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01
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This course is an introduction to the craft of ethnographic research and writing. In the first half, we will explore some of the research methodologies anthropologists use to understand, interpret, and analyze culture. Each student will choose an ethnographic field project for the semester and practice ethnographic methods (participant observation, interviewing, virtual ethnography, auto-ethnography, visual representation, and more). In the second half of the course, students will begin to write their ethnography, practicing writing in a variety of styles and genres (including realist, reflexive, dialogic, engaged, and experimental). Guided, weekly peer workshops throughout the semester will give students a chance to hash out and talk through questions of ethics, positionality, representational politics, and the improvisational felicities and challenges that arise during fieldwork and writing. This course will give students a solid grasp of ethnographic methods and how anthropologists construct ethnographies. It is ideal preparation for ethnographic theses and essays during senior year.
Spring 2021 changes: research methodologies explored will be determined in the context of our capacity to do in-person research during this time. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS ANTH |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Credit/Unsatisfactory |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: ANTH101 |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ANTH)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Readings include essays on fieldwork methods and ethics, the craft of writing ethnography, and published ethnographies relevant to your fieldwork project. Recommended texts (we will read parts of these books): Allaine Cerwonka and Liisa H. Malkki, IMPROVISING THEORY: PROCESS AND TEMPORALITY IN ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELDWORK Kirin Narayan, ALIVE IN THE WRITING: CRAFTING ETHNOGRAPHY IN THE COMPANY OF CHEKHOV. Michael Taussig, I SWEAR I SAW THIS
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Examinations and Assignments:
This is a writing-intensive, workshop-based course. You'll be expected to share your writing and ideas with your classmates and provide constructive criticism and feedback on others' work throughout the semester. Assignments consist of weekly ethnographic research and writing projects, building up to a final ethnography. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students must attend the first class. Email the instructor if you wish to take this course but have not taken ANTH 101 (or are not an Anthro major) |
| Instructor(s): Gandolfo,Daniella Times: ..T.... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: ANTH6; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 10 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: 5 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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