U4-CA

Multi-Sited Ethnography

A method where anthropologists study people, objects, or processes across multiple locations instead of one group in one setting.

What exemplifies Multi-Sited Ethnography?

Following smuggled Marlboro cigarettes in Angola leads to the study of conflict diamonds, oil, shipping, and global trade.

Why does Multi-Sited Ethnography matter?

It illustrates how globalization connects places together, focusing on movement, trade, migration, and interconnected societies.

Main ethical responsibilities in fieldwork

Avoid harming participants, protect privacy and confidentiality, share findings responsibly, and avoid harmful misuse of research.

Reflexivity in anthropology

The critical reflection on one's own biases, impact on participants, and how fieldwork affects both researcher and community.

Impact of fieldwork on researchers

Fieldwork can cause culture shock, reverse culture shock, emotional attachment, and identity changes.

Why study language in anthropology?

Language helps understand culture, communication, worldview, and human behavior.

Distinction between Language and Speech

Language is a communication system with rules and meanings, while speech is only one form of language.

Examples of nonverbal communication

Facial expressions, posture, gestures, tone, eye contact, body positioning, and personal space.

Cultural differences in body language

Different societies have unique uses of body language; for example, North Americans prefer more personal space compared to Mediterranean cultures.

Gender communication through body language

People unconsciously communicate gender through posture, sitting style, movement, and space usage.

Types of personal space

Intimate space, personal/friend space, social space, and public space, each with different cultural comfort zones.

Ape communication vs Human language

Apes can learn signs and communicate basic ideas but cannot fully use grammar or create complex sentences like humans.

Chomsky vs Skinner

Important theorists in language acquisition; Chomsky emphasizes innate grammar while Skinner focuses on environmental factors.