Anthropology 410a: 10686D
Ethnographic Field Methods & Practicum
Tuesday 4:00 – 6:50
GFS 108
Fall Semester 2014
Anthropology never has had a distinct subject matter, and because it
doesn't have a real method, there's a great deal of anxiety over what it is.
Clifford Geertz
Professor: Joseph Hawkins
Office: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, 909 West Adams
e-mail: jrhawkin@usc.edu
Office Hours: By appointment. I am at ONE Archives most days and you can
make an appt at: (213) 741 0094
Course Materials will be placed on Blackboard whenever possible.
Texts (Required):
Anthropology 410a Reader. Bibliography is on Blackboard.
Emerson, Robert M., Rachel I. Fretz, and Linda Shaw. 2011. Writing
Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago: Chicago University Press, Second Edition.
O’Reilly, Karen, 2012. Ethnographic Methods. London: Routledge, Second
Edition.
Newton, Esther, Mother Camp: Female Impersonation in America. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1968.
Course Description and Philosophy
Anthropology is in its essence a phenomenological discipline that seeks to
obtain knowledge inductively. Anthropologists strive to understand what others
think and feel by participating in their subjects’ lives and experiencing through
observation and participation. We write about our observations for others to read
and this process of participant observation and the writing that accompanies it
comprises the central activities that are ethnographic fieldwork. Ethnographic
fieldwork is perhaps the most important methodology that the discipline of
anthropology has created for the social sciences. Indeed ethnographic
methodology is so successful that it is has been adopted by many other
disciplines from occupational therapy, to sociology, and even among travel
writers and reporters.
This process of “Being There,” as Clifford Geertz called the ethnographic
experience, is often exhilarating, sometimes frightening, and always fraught with
an intra-subjective struggle for compassion and understanding, resistance and
acceptance. The challenge of leaving behind our own culture-bound prejudices
and preconceptions can be difficult. However ethnographic fieldwork is not only
about fieldwork; it also uses methodologies such as archival research, interviews,
musicology, forensics, archaeology, the daily experience of popular culture and a
range of other activities to develop the fullest understanding possible of the
culture bearer.
The goal of this course is to confront culture-bound ideas while
encouraging a kind of constructive disequilibrium that produces understandings
of human beings who are in some ways unlike one’s self. The challenge is to
leave behind your own assumptions and predispositions and to see the world
from an alternative perspective. However, there are ethical concerns in this
process. What is your responsibility to those you study? How can you best pull
yourself outside your comfort zone and see the world in (an)other way? How do
you get information without being subversive and how do you write about it while
avoiding the betrayal of confidences? These and other questions will shape your
own wellbeing and ability as an ethnographic fieldworker throughout the
semester.
Attention will be paid to the traditional and newer more innovative
approaches to the practice of ethnography including but not limited to: “entering
the field,” data collection, and especially the writing and interpreting one’s
findings.
Each week will consist of a lecture and discussion portion about a general
topical of concern with regard to methodology and ethnographic fieldwork. We
will also use the readings as a way to generate a discussion of the assigned
readings. It is expected that you will come to class prepared to discuss the
readings for that week.
Course Requirements
This course is designed for upper-level undergraduates, in many cases
anthropology majors, who may be interested in graduate work in the discipline. In
other words, students who are already serious about the study of anthropology.
Ideally students should have an understanding of anthropological theory as the
use of theory informs practice and the organization of the writing of research
results. This course is the first in a two-part yearlong series that is central to the
discipline. Students should be proficient writers, disciplined readers and
dedicated to the practice of learning the methodology of ethnographic fieldwork.
The thing about fieldwork is that you must write it up for it to have meaning to
anyone other than yourself. So a good amount of the emphasis in this course
will be on reading and writing and using the written word to convey your
fieldwork. There is a good deal of writing required and a good deal of reading.
Readings are to be completed the day of class in the week when they are
assigned. Some of the readings are difficult. To that end, get out in front of the
readings as much as possible.
Class Participation- 15%
Given the paragraph above, this is still not a course that can be read about or
experienced through distance learning. You must attend class, as much of what
is important in the learning process will be gleaned not only from the professor,
but also from your classmates as you hear about their struggles and triumphs. As
such, more than three un-excused absences without proper documentation of
illness or a family emergency will be grounds for failure of the course. Attendance
will be taken at every meeting.
Abstract of Fieldwork Project 5%
This is a short document graded largely on the ability to follow instructions, which
have been included in the syllabus. This will also be the first pass at a statement
of your fieldwork proposal. The re-editing of this will allow us to arrive at some
ideas about what makes a field project.
Written Fieldwork Practicum 20 (4 X 5)
There will be four fieldwork practicum assignments. These are designed to give
you practical experience with ways of surveying field sites. These assignments
are entitled Mapping the Block, Alienated Linguistics, Body Language, and a
Ritual Observation. Detailed instructions follow separately.
Written Fieldwork Journal 30% (4 X 7.5)
Throughout the semester you will be asked to write four essays about your
progress on your fieldwork project. Your essays are essential as they allow for
me to have an understanding of your progress. The essays are described in
detail below.
Research Presentation 10%
Each of you will be asked to present to the rest of the seminar your progress and
findings at the end of the semester. We will cover this in detail closer to the date
of presentation.
Research Proposal 20%
The culmination of this course will be a formal paper that describes your research
and this is an elaboration of the Presentation above. This should discuss
research design, your decision about a topic or field. A review of the previously
written essays on the field area and topical concerns is essential to an
understanding of what has gone before. It should also include how you will use
theory in the final project and a justification for that process.
Week 1
8/26
Course Introduction: Introduction of ourselves to each other. I
even have a Powerpoint about my crazy life.
Week 2
9/2
The Practice of Ethnography
O’Reilly: Chapters 1-3
Assignment: Please write an abstract of a potential field
research project. (You are welcome to write more than one if you
have multiple ideas.) It should be 250 words or less. Your name is
at the top (first line) in all CAPS. Second line is the Title in Italics.
And the body of the abstract is the 250 words, not including the title
and name. After I have graded the essay we will meet
individually to discuss ideas and ways to move ahead or to move
on to another topic.
Week 3
9/9
Field Assignment: Mapping a Block (See Handout)
Readings: deCerteau (CR), Partridge (CR), O’Reilly: Chap. 4
Emerson et al. Section 1
Week 4
9/16
The Meanings of Place and Space in Ethnography
Readings: Appadurai (CR), Anderson (CR), Emerson et al.
Section 2
(1st Journal Turn-in)
Week 5
9/23
Field Assignment 2 Alienated Linguistics (See Handout)
A Discussion of Language and the Field
Readings: Polari (under assignments), O’Reilly, Chap. 5,
Emerson et al. Section 3.
Week 6
9/30
Archival Research and the Past in the Present
Readings: O’Reilly Chap. 6, Emerson Section 4.
Class will meet this day at ONE Archives, address above.
(2nd Journal Turn-in)
Week 7
10/7
Field Assignment 3 Body Language (See Handout)
Readings: O’Reilly Chap. 7, Emerson Section 5.
Week 8
10/14
Lecture on Ritual, Spago Lecture
Readings: Turner (CR), Hawkins (CR), Sacred Striptease (CR)
O’Reilly Chap 8. (3rd Journal Turn-in)
Week 9
10/21
Field Assignment 4 Ritual Observation (See Handout)
Readings: Kondo (CR), Emerson Section 6.
Week 10
10/28
Talk about writing up ethnographic fieldwork
Readings: Clifford (CR) O’Reilly Chap 8, Emerson Section 7.
(4th Journal Turn-in)
Week 11
11/4
Talk about Theory
Readings: Bourdieu (CR) O’Reilly Chap 9.
Week 12
11/11
Wrap Up Discussion and Planning for Presentations
Week 13
11/18
Presentations
Week 14
11/25
Thanksgiving Week (No Class)
Week 15
12/2
Presentations
Fieldwork Journal Assignments
These should be 4-5 pages in length minimum. Ideally you can turn in many
more pages that document your field research on a given topic. I am not averse
to reading many pages of field notes. In these field notes, talk to about your
strategies for designing your research and your frustrations or successes in
establishing a rapport. Speak of your review of materials on the field of study.
More specifics to follow.