84267 - Methodologies of Ethnographic Research (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will know the main methodologies of ethnographic research; they will be able to elaborate autonomous projects and to identify the most suitable methods for every specific research context; they will have acquired the skills to communicate research results effectively.

Course contents

Students are strongly advised to check the section “avvisi” in the professor’s home page for all information regarding the programme and the exam.

The course aims to prepare students to carry out anthropological fieldwork by

1. proposing theoretical insights;
2. giving concrete tools to be able to conduct participant observation and interviews (ethical aspects, transcription, “data-card”);
3. encouraging a critical approach to the hypotheses formulated during the fieldwork on the basis of group discussions;
4. giving the opportunity to practice presentation of research work.

Timetable

Lectures will begin on the 29th January 2019, according to the following timetable:

Monday 13-15 aula 1, via Zamboni 33

Tuesday 15-17 aula 1, via Zamboni 38

Wednesday 15-17 aula B, via Zamboni 34

In the FOURTH period (from 12th March):

Monday 15-17 aula C, via Zamboni 34

Tuesday 15-17 aula 1, via Zamboni 38

Wednesday 15-17 aula B, via Zamboni 34

 

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students:

1. One of the following volumes: Pennacini, C. (ed.), La ricerca sul campo in antropologia. Oggetti e metodi, Roma, Carocci, 2010; Malighetti, R. and Molinari, A., Il metodo e l'antropologia. Il contributo di una scienza inquieta, Milano, Cortina, 2016.
2. Pistacchi M. (ed.), Vive voci. L’intervista come fonte di documentazione, Roma, Donzelli, 2010.
3. Bardasi, N. e Natali, C. (eds.), Io a loro ho cercato di spiegare che è una storia complicata la nostra. Voci, esperienze, testimonianze sulla disabilità all'Università di Bologna, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2018 (pp. 9-16 and 153-168).
4. Materials provided in class and C. Natali, “The anthropological recorded interview. Methodological issues and ethnographic examples”, in S. Marchignoli (ed.) 2018, Teaching and University Internazionalization: The E-QUAL Project, pp. 117-152.

Non-attending students:

1. One of the following volumes: Pennacini, C. (ed.), La ricerca sul campo in antropologia. Oggetti e metodi, Roma, Carocci, 2010; Malighetti, R. and Molinari, A., Il metodo e l'antropologia. Il contributo di una scienza inquieta, Milano, Cortina, 2016.
2. Pistacchi M. (ed.), Vive voci. L’intervista come fonte di documentazione, Roma, Donzelli, 2010.
3. Bardasi, N. e Natali, C. (eds.), Io a loro ho cercato di spiegare che è una storia complicata la nostra. Voci, esperienze, testimonianze sulla disabilità all'Università di Bologna, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2018 (pp. 9-16 and 153-168).
4. Online module for NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS “The anthropological recorded interview. Methodological issues and ethnographic examples” (for which the students will have to realize and transcribe an interview following the indications in the form).
   To access the online platform for the first time:
   
   • Go to https://elearning-cds.unibo.it [https://elearning-cds.unibo.it/]
   • Select: All courses in IOL > School of Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Heritage > Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology (cod. 0964) > Academic Year 2018/2019 > Metodologie della Ricerca Etnografica (LM)
   • Log in with institutional credentials @studio.unibo.it
   ATTENTION: to complete the registration and to have access to the online activities it is necessary to insert a key (“enrolment key”). In order to receive the key, non-attending students must send an email to the tutor ( brenda.benaglia@unibo.it [mailto:brenda.benaglia@unibo.it] ) indicating in the subject “Iscrizione Modulo Online – NON FREQUENTANTE”. Requests for the “enrolment key” and any further information can be addressed to the tutor in Italian.
   
   It is strongly recommended to study the texts indicated in the bibliography BEFORE starting to work on the online module.

Teaching methods

The course involves lectures on theoretical approaches, interactive lessons in which the research methodologies are discussed, group work on participant observation and interviews, presentations and group discussions on the results achieved.

Assessment methods

Students are strongly advised to check the section “avvisi” in the professor’s home page for all information regarding the programme and the exam.

Assessment is carried out through an oral exam, in which students are requested to show deep knowledge of the bibliography, critical analytic skills and appropriate linguistic communicative ability.

The mark will be assigned taking into account the following evaluation levels:

30 cum laude: excellent performance showing soundness of knowledge, rich discursive articulation and appropriate expression;

30: very good performance, complete and appropriate knowledge, well articulated and appropriately expressed;

29-27: good performance, more than satisfactory knowledge, well-expressed;

26-24: standard performance, essential knowledge, but not comprehensive and/or not always correctly expressed;

23-21: sufficient performance, general but superficial knowledge, often inappropriately expressed showing confused articulation;

20-18: poor performance, with just acceptable expression and articulation with significant gaps;

<18: Insufficient performance, absent or very incomplete knowledge, lack of orientation in the discipline.

The attending students will also be evaluated on the basis of a) their active participation in lessons; b) the results of their group work; c) their ability, demonstrated in final lessons, to reformulate the research hypotheses emerging from any problems arising during the fieldwork.

Teaching tools

Attending students are kindly invited to subscribe to the following mailing list in order to receive information about possible variations in lecture timetable and rooms: cristiana.natali.Metodologie-ricerca-etnografica.

Office hours

See the website of Cristiana Natali