72420 - Tecniques of Ethnographical Research (1)

Course contents

Classes begin: 26 September 2016 (I semester, I period)

Mon, Tue, Wed h 15-17 aula Grande

Syllabus/Contents

Into the field: research and relationality

The aim of this course is to explore some of the basic methodological challenges in anthropology, particularly focusing on fieldwork research practices and the different forms of reporting related to it.

Attending students will be involved in research activities starting with the observation of real data, which will provide the basis for specific theoretical reflection. Students will be asked to work in team and carry out small projects to acquire specific skills related to fieldwork research.

More specifically, students shall carry out a (mandatory) small fieldwork-based study on a subject of their choice (to be agreed with the professor) including interviews (2-3) and applied methods. To design the questions and the interviews, students shall work in team by using Dropbox. The preparation and implementation of the interview applied to this fieldwork ethnographic research assignment entails the following:

1. Designing a draft questionnaire with questions for the field interviews (in relation to the selected subject);
2. Carrying out the interviews;
3. Transcribing the data collected;
4. Presenting results and conclusions;
5. Writing a brief research report which will be considered for the final examination (including the interview questions, the transcripts of the interviews carried out, a brief comment).

During the course the following subjects will be addressed:

• The journey and the field
• Anthropology and ethnography
• Relationality in the field
• Observation and participation
• Validity and authority of the ethnographic report
• Allegory and reflexivity
• The interpretative models
• The comparative method
• Research as translation.

Some of the issues discussed in the course will also be reconsidered by watching the movie Tokio Ga by Wim Wenders (1985), available on: http://www.altadefinizione01.eu/film/tokyoga . [last accessed 16 January 2016] and the short movie Moznosti dialogu (Dimensions of Dialogue) by Jan Svankmajer (1982), available on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGp8xiB2-sg

At the end of the course the student shall be able to:

• Collaboratively develop an interview model to be applied to fieldwork ethno-anthropological research.
• Take advantage of the Internet as a framework enabling self-study and collaborative learning; also knowing the implications of an open, real, and participatory space to develop collaborative writing techniques and strategies online using Dropbox.
• Read, analyze, summarize, understand, and explain explicit and implicit information in texts (particularly scientific papers) on ethnographic theories.
• Apply fieldwork ethnographic research methods and develop the necessary skills to collect, process, analyze, and interpret genuine empirical data.
• Recognize and manage the ethnographic variables involved in fieldwork research.
• Know and experiment with significant methods in research design and analysis of data applied to fieldwork ethnographic research.

Deal with different research tools necessary to design an ethnographic research project.

Readings/Bibliography

Programme for attending students

1. Ronzon Franceso, Sul campo. Breve guida alla ricerca etnografica, Meltemi, Roma 2008.
2. Fabietti U., Malighetti U., Dal tribale al globale: introduzione all'antropologia, Bruno Mondadori, Milano 2012

Programme for non-attending students

1. Ronzon Franceso, Sul campo. Breve guida alla ricerca etnografica, Meltemi, Roma 2008.
2. Fabietti U., Malighetti U., Dal tribale al globale: introduzione all'antropologia, Bruno Mondadori, Milano 2012
3. Augè M., Storie del presente. Per una antropologia dei mondi contemporanei, il Saggiatore, Milamo 1997.

Recommended references:

Augè M., Storie del presente. Per una antropologia dei mondi contemporanei, il Saggiatore, Milamo 1997.

Bermani C., Introduzione alla storia orale. Storia, conservazione delle fonti e problemi di metodo, volume I, Odradek, Roma 1999.

Biaca C., Dall’evento al documento. Orientamenti etnografici, Cisu, Roma 1994.

Borofsky R., L’antropologia culturale oggi, Meltemi 2004.

Cappelletto F., Vivere l’Etnografia, Seid, Roma 2009.

Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. I. I paradigmi di riferimento, il Mulino, Bologna 2003.

Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. II. Le tecniche quantitative, il Mulino, Bologna 2003.

Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. III. Le tecniche qualitative, il Mulino, Bologna 2003.

Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. IV. L’analisi dei dati, il Mulino, Bologna 2003.

Fabietti U., Etnografia e culture. Antropologi, informatori e politiche dell’identità, Carocci, Roma1998.

Fallacara F., Viaggio nel sistema educativo del Senegal. Alla scoperta delle Daaras, Edizioni del Sud, Bari 2016.

Pennacini, C. (a cura di), La ricerca sul campo in antropologia. Oggetti e metodi, Roma, Carocci, 2010.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures will alternate with cycles of seminars for in-depth discussion in which students are invited to actively take part with personal investigations, presentations and reports concerning the proposed issues.

Part of the programme will be completed by using Dropbox: this activity will be based on collaborative writing applied to ethnographic research through the use of collaborative digital tools. In order to familiarize with theory and put it into practice, the students will be asked to design an interview.

Assessment methods

The final examination is an interview. The students will be asked some questions concerning the texts included in the syllabus and the subjects presented in them.

For attending students, the assessment of the final interview is complemented with the research report on the fieldwork assignment and with specific questions on the subjects discussed in class.

Exam registration should be completed via the Almaesami website.

Assessment criteria:

• Teamwork and problem solving skills
• Quantity and quality of each student’s participation on Dropbox
• Active participation in class discussion: ability to present, contrast, and defend one’s ideas with data that are relevant to the proposed subjects
• In-depth and detailed knowledge of the syllabus text contents
• Argument and critical skills
• Language appropriateness
• The evaluation of the written report will consider the typical conventions of academic writing (orthography, layout, and presentation), and also the ability to ponder, analyze, and draw conclusions.

Teaching tools

Multimedia tools will be used, e.g. audio recordings and videos. For some fieldwork activities the students will work in team and use collaborative digital tools, such as Dropbox.

Slides and Power Point presentations will also be used in some classes.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Sbardella