Fieldwork Ethnology Ethnography IBSCA

Experiential Fieldwork Data collection method used by anthropologists to explain how, with what, and why people in different parts of the world behave the way they do

History of Anthropological Fieldwork Early anthropologists theorized on second-hand data from untrained observers Franz Boas formalized the process of experiential fieldwork as a research methodology Prior to 1960s, ethnographies rarely mentioned research methodologies Recent ethnographies include discussion of fieldwork study, data collection, and analysis of results

Fieldwork Methods/Concerns Each fieldwork experience is unique, however each shares similar concerns Preparing for fieldwork Gaining acceptance in the community Selecting the most appropriate data-gathering techniques Understanding how to operate within the local political structure Taking precautions against investigator bias Choosing knowledgeable informants Coping with culture shock Learning a new language Willingness to reevaluate findings in the light of new evidence

Preparing for Fieldwork Fieldwork is not as romantic as it seems Requirements: A minimum of a year’s lead time Funding from an agency that supports anthropological research Proper health precautions Governmental clearance or permission from the host government Proficiency in the local language Taking care of personal detail before leaving home

Stages of Field Research Same basic stages for all, although each experience is unique Selecting a research problem Formulating a research design Collecting the data Analyzing the data Interpreting the data * Often many theoretical and methodological issues interfere with the 5 stages listed

Selecting a Research Problem Fieldworkers have moved away from general ethnographies Shift has resulted in the formulation of hypotheses that are tested in the field Example: Kenya Kinship Study hypothesis – As Kenya becomes more urbanized, extended family interaction will be replaced by more nuclear family interaction

Formulating a Research Design Fieldworker must decide how to measure two major variables in the hypothesis KKS variables – urbanization and family interaction Independent variable = variable capable of affecting change in the other variable (urbanization) Dependent variable = variable whose value is dependent on the other variable (family interaction) Dependent variable must be defined more specifically so that it can be measured quantitatively (residence patterns, visitation patterns, mutual assistance, formal family gatherings) Important to control for extraneous factors that can interfere with testing the hypothesis. In KKS, controlled for ethnic group (tribal affiliation) by using only one ethnic group for both rural and urban samples

Collecting Data Must determine appropriate data-gathering technique for measuring the variable KKS used three principal data-gathering techniques: Participant-observation Structured interviews Day histories (a technique modified for the study)

Analyzing the Data The data collected must be analyzed, categorized, and measurements compared Data analysis for KKS: Analyzed content for day histories Various time segments were categorized into one of nine types of social interaction Counted the number of minutes per 24-hour period that each interviewee spend in family interaction Compared minutes spent in each type of family interaction for urban and rural samples (no difference)

Interpreting the Data Involves explaining or interpreting the findings