ANTH Chapter 3: Fieldwork & Ethnography

Margaret Mead

"Coming of Age in Samoa." Studied teen sexuality and gender roles. Brought her observations to the US at a time when many argued that gender roles were biologically determined. Fieldwork testified to the fact that US norms were not found cross culturally, but were culturally specific

Eric Wolf

"Europe and the People without History". Reassert forgotten local histories into the story of the modern world

Sydney Mintz

"Sweetness and Power". Expanded fieldwork in Puerto Rican sugar production to consider intersections of local histories and local sugar production with global flows of colonialism and capitalism

People of Puerto Rico

a team led by Julian Steward, including Syndey Mintz, and Eric Wolf did a fieldwork project at multiple sites in Puerto Rico. Beginning of the turn away of studying isolated, small scale nonindustrial societies to studying the integration of local communities into a modern world

Anthropologist's Toolkit

all tools needed to conduct fieldwork, including a notebook, pen, camera, voice recorder, dictionary

Ethnology

analysis and comparison of the ethnographic data across cultures

Emic Perspective

approach to gathering data that investigates how local people think and understand the world. Understanding the local community on its own terms

Fieldwork Begins with People

by living with others, we seek to understand their experience through their eyes. Look beyond the everyday experience of life to discover the complex systems of power and meaning that people construct to shape their existence

Mapping (quantitative data)

characteristics like age, gender, family type, employment status through census or surveys. Use newspapers, records, and archives for historical change over time

Key Informant

community member who advises the anthropologist on community issues, provides feedback, and warns against cultural miscues. Also called cultural consultant

Annette Weiner

conducted a new study of the Trobriand Islands in 1980s. Took note of the substantial role women played in the island economy. Found women had equally important economic roles and accumulations of wealth. Reflexivity

Synchronic Approach to Fieldwork

control experiments by limiting consideration of the larger historical and social context in order to isolate as many variables as possible

Reflexivity

critical self-examination of the role the anthropologist plays and an awareness that one's identity affects one's fieldwork and theoretical analysis

Etic Perspective

description of local behavior and beliefs from the anthropologist's perspective in ways that can be compared across cultures. View the community as an outsider

Qualitative Data

descriptive data drawn from nonstatistical sources, including participant observation, personal stories, interviews, and life histories

Armchair Anthropologists

did not conduct their own research. Worked at home analyzing the reports of others.

Globalization- Changes in Content

ethnographers are increasingly integrating the local with global in their studies. Fieldwork is now multi sited to represent more fully the scope of the issue under study

Bronislaw Malinowski (Studies)

examined the Kula Ring, an elaborate system of exchange. Involved thousands of individuals across many islands who traveled to exchange Kula valuables.

Early Accounts of Encounters with Others

explorers, missionaries, traders, government bureaucrats, and travelers recorded descriptions of the people they encountered

Nacirema

famous story by Horace Miner that helps readers understand the dichotomy between familiar and strange that anthropologists face. Descriptions are meant to make the strange seem familiar and vice versa

Fieldwork as a Social Science

fieldwork is an experiment for testing hypotheses and building theories about the diversity of human behavior and the interaction of people with systems of power

Salvage Ethnography

fieldwork strategy developed by Boas to rapidly collect cultural, material, linguistic, and biological info about US Native populations being devastated by westward expansion.

Franz Boas

focused on developing a four field approach. Settled in NYC and became professor at Columbia. Documented Native American cultures being devastated by westward expansion. Salvage Ethnography. Developed cultural relativism as basic fieldwork perspective

Barbara Myerhoff (Number Our Days)

focuses on the struggles of older Jewish immigrants in a Southern California community and the Aliyah senior citizens center. Makes a turn from the study of the other to the study of the self- being thrice born

Life History

form of interview that traces the biography of a person over time, examining changes and illuminating the interlocking network of relationships in the community

Globalization- Changes in Process

global communication allows the fieldworker and community to remain in contact after the anthropologist has left

Do No Harm (why)

in the 60s and 70s, anthropologists were criticized for their role in colonialism, particularly for providing info on local cultures to colonial administrations and military agents. Created an image of colonial subjects as unable to govern themselves and in need of western guidance and rule

Survey

information gathering tool for quantitative data analysis. Reach a broader sample of participants around key issues

Polyvocality

involve people from the community in the research process and include their voices directly in writing. Practice of using many different voices in ethnographic writing and research question development. Allows the reader to hear more directly from the people in the study

Fieldwork

key part of training. Learn the basic tools of the trade. Earn credibility as effective observers of culture. Establish reputation. Learn empathy, develop global consciousness, and uncover our own ethnocentrism

Obtain Informed Consent

key strategy for protecting those being studied by ensuring that they are fully informed of the goals of the project and have clearly indicated their consent to participate. US federal regulations

Reflexivity (Writing)

make effort to reveal their own position in relationship to their study so readers can assess what biases, strengths, or handicaps the author has. Anthropologist's background can influence the ease with which they establish rapport and gain access to the research community, and successful analysis of their findings

19th Century Anthropology and Colonialism

many anthropologists were considered armchair anthropologists. Edward Burnett Taylor. Exception- Louis Henry Morgan

Social Network Analysis

method for examining relationships in a community, often conducted by identifying who people turn to in times of need

Ethnographic Authority (Solution)

must establish credentials. Discussions of the length of time engaged in the study, language skills, special training and preparation, research design and implementation, quality of relationship with subjects, and use of direct quotes.

Literature Review

process of reading all the available published material about a research site and research issues before beginning fieldwork

Ensure Anonymity

protecting the identities of people involved in a study by changing or omitting their names or other identifying characteristics. Protects people who may be vulnerable

Analysis

regularly reflect on trends, issues, themes, and patterns that emerge from collected data. Explore global connections. Begin from an emic perspective. Then take an etic perspective. Enthnology

Rapport

relationships of trust and familiarity developed with members of the community being studied. Enables the anthropologist to move from outsider to insider

Interview

research strategy of gathering data through formal or informal conversation with informants

E. E. Evans-Pritchard (Studies)

researched a Sudanese tribe, the Nuer, in the 1930s. Systematically documented the group's social structure.

Cultural Relativism

see each culture on its own merit. Understand first from inside according to its own logic and structure

What is Unique about Ethnographic Fieldwork?

Begins with people. Shapes the anthropologist. Social Science and Art. Informs daily life.

E.E. Evans-Pritchard

British Social Anthropology. Synchronic approach to fieldwork. Ethnography- "The Nuer"

Moral and Ethical Concerns

Do no harm. Obtain informed consent. Ensure anonymity

How did Fieldwork Develop

Early accounts of encounters with others. 19th Century anthropologists and the colonial encounter. Professionalization of social scientific data-gathering and analysis,

E.E. Evans-Pritchard (Studies-criticism)

Failure to consider historical context and larger social world. The Sudanese lived under British occupation and many Nuer participated in resistance to British occupation.

Bronislaw Malinowski

Father of fieldwork. Stuck on the Trobriand Islands for a year as a result of WWI. Ethnography- "Argonauts of the Western Pacific". Set new standards for fieldwork by proposing a set of guidelines for conducting fieldwork based on his experience

Skills and Perspectives

Open-mindedness. Skilled listener. Patient. Flexible. Open to the unexpected. Open to mutual transformation.

How do Anthropologists Write Ethnography?

Polyvocality. Reflexivity. Tone and Style. Ethnographic authority. Experiments in ethnographic writing.

How do Anthropologists Get Started Conducting Fieldwork

Preparation. Strategies. Mapping. Skills and Perspectives. Analysis

Strategies

Quantitative and qualitative data. Establish rapport. Find key informant. Interview. Life history. Survey. Kinship analysis. Social network analysis. Field Notes

Quantitative Data

statistical information about a community that can be measured and compared

Brackette Williams (studies)

studied homelessness and begging in NYC and Tucson, AZ for several years. Began with observation of homeless people and people on subways. Continued with interviews, note taking, and background reading. Began identifying a clear set of stories and begging styles and responses from people on the subway

Fieldwork as an Art

success depends on the anthropologist's intuitive ability to negotiate complex interactions, usually in unfamiliar environments, to build trust, make sense of behavioral patterns, and be conscious of one's biases and vantage point

Brackette Williams (belief)

suggests fieldwork is a kind of homework. Strategy for gathering info that will help to make informed decisions to act morally and weigh in advance the likely consequences of one's actions

Mapping

the analysis of the physical and geographic space where fieldwork is being conducted. Develops a spatial awareness of where people live, work, worship, play, eat, and the space through which they move. Built environment. Can use databases, maps, photos, film, etc.

Field Notes

the anthropologist's written observations and reflections on places, practices, events, and interviews. Can be descriptions of people, reflections on patterns and themes, questions to ask, issues to pursue, and personal reflections

Built Environment

the intentionally designed features of human settlement- buildings, transportation, public service infrastructure, and public spaces. Growth of this is rarely random. Guided by political and economic choices. Sheds light on key dynamics of power and influence in a community

Mutual Transformation

the potential for both the anthropologist and members of the community being studied to be transformed by the interactions of fieldwork

Barbara Myerhoff (Peyote Hunt)

traces pilgrimage of Huichol Indians across Sierra Madre of Mexico

Kinship Analysis

traditional strategy of examining genealogies to uncover the relationships build upon structures such as marriage and family ties

Ethnographic Authority (Question)

what right does the ethnographer have to present certain material, make certain claims, and draw certain conclusions

Tone and Style

write for a variety of audiences- students, colleagues, general public, government agencies, organizations, people they study

Thrice Born

1. Own culture 2. Immersing in the depths of another culture 3. Return home as the anthropologist rediscovers their own culture

Preparation

Literature review. Learn the language. Search out possible contacts. Define a specific research question or problem and create a research design. Grant applications. Get permission to conduct the study. Assemble the anthropologist's toolkit

Bronislaw Malinowski (Guidelines for Fieldwork)

Stay for a long period in your field site. Learn the local language. Interact with local people. Engage in participant observation. Explore the mundane imponderabilia- the seemingly commonplace, everyday items and activities of local life