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Flashcards covering key concepts from ANTH*1150 Week 3 lecture notes, focusing on Bronislaw Malinowski, fieldwork methods, ethical considerations, and types of ethnographic representation.
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Who was Bronislaw Malinowski and where did he conduct his seminal fieldwork?
He was an anthropologist who studied economics at LSE and conducted fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea.
Why was Malinowski forced to remain in the Trobriand Islands for several years?
Due to WWI, as he was an Austrian in British territory.
What was the significance of Malinowski's book 'Argonauts of the Western Pacific'?
Its chapter on methods became the 'Bible' for British ethnographers and anthropologists for generations, advocating strongly for the fieldwork method.
What is 'Participation Observation' in ethnography?
It's a method where the ethnographer lives among the people, participates in everyday life, and makes systematic observations to grasp the native's point of view.
What are the key characteristics of ethnographic fieldwork?
Long-term research (often years), open-ended, inductive, flexible, responsive to unexpected events, and described as 'Deep hanging out'.
What kind of output does ethnographic fieldwork typically produce?
Long-form monographs rather than short scientific articles.
Who coined the term 'Thick Description' and what does it include?
Clifford Geertz coined the term, and it includes not just what was observed but also interpretation, linking observations to larger commentary.
What is Critical Ethnography?
An ethnographic approach that emerged as a critique of earlier essentializing/objectifying ethnography, recognizing cultures as fluid, highlighting marginalized voices, and acknowledging the researcher's subjectivity.
What are some modern forms of ethnographic representation beyond traditional monographs?
Art installations, film, and blogs are modern forms.
How is Anthropology broadly defined in terms of method and analysis?
It is defined by the fieldwork method (participation observation) and a holistic analysis of society, including how people live, interact, their beliefs, values, and institutions.
What advantage does fieldwork have over surveys or interviews?
It builds trust, produces deeper knowledge, allows for personal and contextual insights, and is flexible, allowing research questions to shift.
What is the nature of field notes in anthropology?
They record observations and experiences, are often reflective and emotional, not just 'objective data', and can include diaries capturing emotional responses.
What is 'Reflexivity' in anthropology?
It is the acknowledgment of the researcher’s positionality (background, biases, power) and the understanding that anthropologists do not claim total objectivity.
What are some challenges anthropologists face, particularly when studying 'at home'?
Studying one's own culture ('at home') can be difficult due to less distance and more assumptions, and fieldwork can be dangerous and physically/emotionally demanding, challenging the 'romantic view'.
What is Applied Anthropology and what are its main employment sectors?
Applied anthropology is concerned with solving real-world problems. Its largest employers are government, followed by business.
What ethical challenge does Applied Anthropology often face?
Balancing objectivity with the application of research to practical problems.
What is the historical ethical legacy of anthropology?
It is tied to colonialism and 'studying the Other', having contributed to essentializing and objectifying cultures.
What did Nancy Scheper-Hughes advocate for regarding anthropology's ethical stance?
She advocated for an ethical and militant anthropology, stating that it should be able to think about social institutions and practices in moral or ethical terms.