CH3 Ethnography anth

What is ethnography?

• A research method used to discover and describe a particular culture.

• Involves learning from people through observation, interaction, and fieldwork.

Who pioneered participant observation in anthropology?

• Bronislaw Malinowski, founder of British Social Anthropology.

• Helped shift anthropology from armchair research to systematic fieldwork.

What is the main goal of ethnography according to Malinowski?

• To understand people's lives from their own point of view.

• To understand how they see and experience their world.

What is salvage ethnography?

• Recording and preserving cultures believed to be disappearing.

• Often focused on Indigenous communities affected by modernization and outside contact.

What are the three things anthropologists examine during ethnographic fieldwork?

• Cultural behaviour: What people do.

• Cultural knowledge: What people know.

• Cultural artifacts: What people make and use.

What makes ethnographic fieldwork different from other social research methods?

• Uses a holistic approach to study different aspects of social life.

• Involves long-term fieldwork, traditionally a year or more.

• Requires open-mindedness and cultural relativism.

What is participant observation?

• A method where anthropologists observe and participate in people's everyday lives.

• Involves building trust and relationships with the community.

What is the difference between emic and etic perspectives?

• Emic: Insider's perspective; understands culture through the meanings of local people.

• Etic: Outsider's perspective; uses scientific and rational interpretation.

• Anthropologists can use both perspectives.

What are some common fieldwork techniques?

• Participant observation and building rapport.

• Structured or open-ended interviews.

• Taking field notes and headnotes.

What are other research methods anthropologists use?

• Comparative and genealogical methods.

• Life histories and rapid appraisals (parachute ethnography).

• Action research, anthropology at a distance, and secondary materials.

What is thick description in ethnography?

• Interpreting cultural behaviour to understand its deeper meaning.

• Goes beyond simply describing what people do.

What is the reflexive approach in anthropology?

• Recognizes that researchers are part of the world they study.

• Acknowledges that research cannot be completely objective.

What is polyvocality?

• A collaborative writing approach that includes multiple people's voices.

• Allows research participants to express their own perspectives rather than relying only on the anthropologist.

Why is translation important when writing ethnography?

• Translation involves both language and cultural meaning.

• Helps anthropologists interpret cultures without misrepresenting them.

What are the main ethical responsibilities of anthropologists?

• Avoid harming participants and protect their privacy.

• Obtain informed consent and explain the purpose of the research.

• Follow ethical guidelines and make research findings accessible.

What is action anthropology?

• Taking action to support marginalized communities and advocate for justice.

• Goes beyond simply avoiding harm.

• Considered a choice rather than a professional obligation.

What does the dispute in Donggo demonstrate about ethnography?

• A dispute that appeared to involve assault was actually connected to marriage and social relationships.

• Long-term fieldwork helped the anthropologist understand its deeper cultural meaning.

• Shows why observation and cultural context are important.

What are some limitations of ethnographic fieldwork?

• Researchers' personal perspectives can influence interpretations.

• Studying one small community may not represent an entire society.

• Ethnographers may overlook historical changes or present cultures as unchanging.