72420 - Tecniques of Ethnographical Research (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will know the main methodologies of ethnographic research; they will be able to elaborate autonomous field projects and to identify the most suitable methods for specific research contexts; they will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of specific analytical instruments in contexts varied both historically and culturally.

Course contents

The course aims to address the topic of research techniques from both an historical and methodological point of view.
In particular, the following topics will be taken into consideration: the relationship between the ethnographer and his interlocutors with particular reference to collaborative and participatory research; the ethical and deontological aspects that characterize the field-work and that emerge during it, the writing of the diary and field-notes, the different types of interviews, the biographical method.

Students attending the course will be introduced to experiences of fieldwork, carried out in groups over the semester, and agreed upon by the instructor. The activities are meant to think about the competences and learning processes that characterize the ethnographic experience, and about the complexities characterizing field research.

The course will start on November 9th

Class hours and rooms:

Monday, h.9-11 AULA VI  ZAMBONI 38

Tuesday, h. 9-11 AULA VI ZAMBONI 38

Friday, h. 11-13 Aula VI ZAMBONI 38

Lessons schedule:

•THE ETHNOGRAPHIC METHOD IN THE HISTORY OF ANTHROPOLOGY

•THE ETHNOGRAPHIC METHOD IN THE HISTORY OF ANTHROPOLOGY

• FRANZ BOAS AND THE AMERICAN SCHOOL

• FRANZ BOAS AND LIFE STORIES

• ANTHROPOLOGY AND GENDER: THE WOMEN SCHOLARS  OF BOAS

• THE DIARY: -CUSHING -BOAS -METRAUX

• FIELD-NOTES AND LETTERS OF THE FIELD: MEAD 

• VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY: MEAD AND BATESON

• THE PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION: MALINOWSKI AND THE FIELD DIARY

• THE ROLE OF THE INFORMANTS: THE CASE OF MARCEL GRIAULE

• THE QUALITATIVE METHOD

• THE INTERVIEW

• GENDER ANTHROPOLOGY

• LIFE STORIES IN A EUROPEAN CONTEXT

• LIFE STORIES IN AN INDIGENOUS CONTEXT

• LIFE STORIES IN AN INDIGENOUS CONTEXT

Readings/Bibliography

MANDATORY READINGS:

1.Pavanello M., 2010, Fare Antropologia. Metodi per la ricerca etnografica. Bologna, Zanichelli.

2. Pennacini, C. (a cura di), 2010, La ricerca sul campo in antropologia. Oggetti e metodi, Roma, Carocci. INTRODUZIONE, CAPITOLO 4. CAPITOLO 5. CAPITOLO 7

3. Fabietti U., 1998, Etnografia e culture. Antropologi, informatori e politiche dell’identità, Carocci, Roma. INTRODUZIONE, CAPITOLO 1, CAPITOLO 5

4. Franceschi Z.A., Storie di vita. Percorsi nella storia dell'Antropologia americana, Clueb, Bologna, 2006. CAPITOLO 2. CAPITOLO 3. CAPITOLO 4.

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures supported by audio visual material (when required).

At the end of each lecture there will be a concept checking session to ensure students’ understanding of the themes and issues covered, which will also allow active student participation.

Assessment methods

The final exam will be an oral one, with questions aimed to verify the student's knowledge of the themes discussed during frontal lessons (only for students that participated in classwork) as well as those treated in the program's texts.

In marking the following assessment criteria will be applied:

30 cum Laude: exceptional exam, solid knowledge, articulate discursive skills, expressive competence, and ability to synthesize.

30: outstanding result, adequate and appropriate knowledge, well-articulated and correctly expressed notions. Good ability to synthesize.

29-27: good exam, more than adequate knowledge, good capacity for expression. Fair ability to synthesize

26-24: fair exam, basic but not exhaustive knowledge, and or not consistently well articulated. Sufficient ability to synthesize.

23-21: passable exam, general but superficial knowledge; limited capacity for expression and confused discourse management. Passable ability to synthesize.

20-18: barely passable exam, discourse management and expressions demonstrating inadequate knowledge. Modest ability to synthesize.

<18: inadequate exam, deficient or severely inadequate knowledge, lack of bearing as regards the subject matter.

Teaching tools

The frontal lessons will be supported by Power Point presentations. The Power Point presentation will be uploaded in the “Teaching materials” section of this website.

Office hours

See the website of Zelda Alice Franceschi