Ethnographic Techniques & Anthropological FieldworkEthnographic FieldworkEthnography: fieldwork in and about a particular living cultureTalking to, participating withFieldwork within a living culture or a written document about prior fieldworkEthnographic Techniques (Systematic)Participant-Observation: Core of how cultural anthropologists do their fieldwork. Being apart of a culture through social participation and observe a culture.Done over a long period of timeUsually a very personal experienceInterviews: Conversations that maintain rapport and provide knowledgeTalking to people, asking specific questions, geared toward the questions you are studyingPeople are providing knowledgeGenealogical Methods: procedures to understand kinship, descent, and marriageSocial organizationKinship: how people are related to each other (socially)Systematic understanding of kinship, 3 basic patterns that all societies useKey Consultants: experts on a particular aspect of local lifeOften anthropologists look at a few specific aspects of a cultureKey consultants: informantExperts on that specific part of the cultureLife Histories: a personal cultural portrait of existence or change in a cultureUsing a portrait of a particular (single) individual and using that to understand the culture as a wholeEmic vs. Etic: comparison of local beliefs and perceptions to the ethnographer’sEmic  insideBecoming apart of the culture, learning about the culture from the peoples perspectiveEtic  outsideWatching the people, not always participating in the cultureAnthropologists try to compare both to learn the most about a cultureSometimes they rely on practice one more than the otherSurvey ResearchSurvey research designSampling, data collection, and statistical analysisSampleRandom selectionVariables: the questions you ask and how the answers differDo this when dealing with a very large amount of peopleWider perspective, but it is less personalOnly allows limited answersAnswer on a scale of 1-10 or yes/no questionsRelies heavily on the sampling method; not everyone will take a surveyFieldwork and EthicsA set or system of moral principlesAnthropologists are dealing with living human beingsEthics: a set of morals, values, principlesProblems involving contrasting systemsNot all groups of people have the same moralsNot even everyone in the same culture have the same moralsEthics change over timeAmerican Anthropological Association (AAA) CodeThey should not exploitThe people they study, the materials the excavate, and the species that they are looking atShould seek permissionMake sure the people know what you are doing and make sure that it is okay to do researchDifferent societies deal with anthropology research differentlyIn the US you have to get a permit to do research on public landIn Belize all historical research is the property of the government, have to have a permit, even on private landSome countries you have to get a permit to do cultural anthropologyRegardless of what you’re doing you have to get permission, whether it is from the government or the people that you are studyingJust because you have permission by the government, doesn’t mean you have permission by the peopleShould tell the people the purpose of researchTell the people what you are doing and why you are doing itThey often want to know what you findShould inform the people of potential costs and benefitsEvery time you do research you impact the people you are studyingPros and consTreat colleagues in host countries appropriatelyTreat people nicelyInclusivenessCollaborationPublicationGive back to the communities in which you are studyingEX: Educational outreach programs← Ethnographic Techniques & Anthropological Fieldwork←←← Ethnographic Fieldwork- Ethnography: fieldwork in and about a particular living cultureo Talking to, participating witho Fieldwork within a living culture or a written document about prior fieldwork← Ethnographic Techniques (Systematic)- Participant-Observation: Core of how cultural anthropologists do their fieldwork. Being apart of a culture through social participation and observe a culture.o Done over a long period of timeo Usually a very personal experience- Interviews: Conversations that maintain rapport and provide knowledgeo Talking to people, asking specific questions, geared toward the questions you are studyingo People are providing knowledge- Genealogical Methods: procedures to understand kinship, descent, and marriageo Social organization o Kinship: how people are related to each other (socially) o Systematic understanding of kinship, 3 basic patterns that all societies use- Key Consultants: experts on a particular aspect of local lifeo Often anthropologists look at a few specific aspects of a cultureo Key consultants: informant Experts on that specific part of the culture- Life Histories: a personal cultural portrait of existence or change in a cultureo Using a portrait of a particular (single) individual and using that to understand the culture as a whole- Emic vs. Etic: comparison of local beliefs and perceptions to the ethnographer’so Emic  inside  Becoming apart of the culture, learning about the culture from the peoples perspective o Etic  outside Watching the people, not always participating in the cultureo Anthropologists try to compare both to learn the most about a culture Sometimes they rely on practice one more than the other← Survey Research- Survey research designo Sampling, data collection, and statistical analysiso Sample Random selectiono Variables: the questions you ask and how the answers differ- Do this when dealing with a very large amount of people - Wider perspective, but it is less personal- Only allows limited answers o Answer on a scale of 1-10 or yes/no questions- Relies heavily on the sampling method; not everyone will takea survey← Fieldwork and Ethics- A set or system of moral principles - Anthropologists are dealing with living human beings- Ethics: a set of morals, values, principles o Problems involving contrasting systemso Not all groups of people have the same morals Not even everyone in the same culture have the same moralso Ethics change over time← American Anthropological Association (AAA) Code- They should not exploit o The people they study, the materials the excavate, and the species that they are looking at- Should seek permissiono Make sure the people know what you are doing and make sure that it is okay to do