ANT 250 - Ethnography: In the Field

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to ethnographic research, description, and analysis. The very immersion into the everyday that constitutes what most ethnographers do-being a witness to the different ways that a range of people convey the immediacy of human experience-will be our main framework. As such, in an effort to illuminate a small corner of humanity, students will develop and carry out an ethnographic exploration of a subculture of their choice. Adopting an “ethnographic perspective” (one that considers both insider and outsider positions), students will conduct participant-observation in an attempt to get underneath the beliefs, values, rituals, behaviors, stories, and language patterns that make this particular subculture work. Methods of observing, participating, interviewing, taking field notes, and writing ethnographically will be discussed throughout the semester. Course Typically Offered: Every 2 years.

Prerequisite(s): ANT 101 or permission of the instructor.

Credits: 3