Ethnographic Fieldwork and the Concept of Culture

A series of flashcards based on key concepts presented in the lecture on ethnographic fieldwork and culture.

Ethnographic Fieldwork

A research method used in anthropology that involves immersive observation of a community or culture.

Culture

The shared beliefs, practices, norms, values, and material traits of a group.

Subculture

A cultural group within a larger culture that differentiates itself through distinct characteristics.

Popular Culture

Mainstream ideas, practices, and phenomena that are prevalent within society at a particular time.

Participant Observation

A key ethnographic method where researchers engage and interact with the subjects they are studying.

Holism

The approach that aspects of culture cannot be understood in isolation and must be studied as a whole.

Relativism

The principle that peoples' beliefs and behaviours should be understood based on their own culture rather than judged against the criteria of another culture.

Thick Description

A concept by Clifford Geertz that emphasizes detailed context, interpretation, and meaning in ethnographic reporting.

Etic

An outsider's perspective in ethnographic research.

Emic

An insider's perspective in ethnographic research.

Cultural Adaptation

The process by which societies adjust to their physical and social environments.

Norms

Shared ideals or rules that govern behaviour within a culture.

Values

Fundamental beliefs about what is desirable in society.

Collective Understandings

Shared knowledge that helps individuals interpret behaviours and events.

Worldview

A comprehensive perspective through which an individual perceives and interprets reality.

Counterculture

A cultural group that actively rejects and opposes the dominant cultural norms.

Commercialization of Culture

The process of bringing cultural products to market, often emphasizing profit over cultural significance.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities within a culture.

Critical Ethnography

An approach that includes marginalized voices and critiques power dynamics in research.