Ethnographic Methods and Analysis (389-0-1)

Instructors

Hirokazu Miyazaki
847 4675540
1819 Hinman Ave. #110

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 212: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

This advanced seminar provides students with an in-depth exploration of the entire process of ethnographic research, from conceptual design to fieldwork, analysis, and writing. By working on a campus-based ethnographic research project, students will develop proficiency in key methodological techniques. These projects will undergo peer review and culminate in an ethnographic report that integrates theoretical frameworks with ethnographic evidence. Graduate students are required to produce a final concept paper to lay the groundwork for a future dissertation research project. Weekly readings serve as practical guides and methodological inspiration, informing in-class discussions and anchoring students' ongoing fieldwork in broader scholarly conversations about ethnographic methods and anthropological knowledge production. The course focuses on the craft of ethnography — the core methodology of cultural anthropology — breaking it down into specific techniques, such as identifying a field site, conducting ethnographic interviews, making ethnographic observations, writing field notes, and carrying out ethnographic analysis. The course aims to sharpen students' sensibilities toward collaborative knowledge production where the ethics of honesty, transparency, and mutual respect dictate every interaction and decision. In this context, the course emphasizes sustained attention to research ethics. The course also explores a variety of ways in which ethnographic methods can be deployed and includes guest speakers from management consulting, journalism, and other professional fields.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisite: At least one 200-level course in cultural anthropology

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will have achieved the following:
• Working mastery of the foundational methods and techniques of cultural anthropology, including research design, ethnographic interviews, and the management, analysis, and writing of ethnographic data.
• A firm grasp of a comprehensive range of issues concerning research ethics.
• Familiarity with cutting-edge methodological issues in cultural anthropology.
• Capacity to work in research teams.

Class Materials (Required)

All materials to be made available through Canvas

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
SoC Individual and Social Behavior Distro