Anthropological Fieldwork

Fieldwork & Methods Preparation for the Field Adapting to the Field Situation Establishing a Role Developing Rapport Methods & Techniques of Data Gathering

What Preparations Must Be Made? Define a Research Problem Select a Research Location Learn the Language Read Relevant Literature Seek Advice Write a Research Proposal Get Government Permission Take Medical Precautions To make lines appear one at a time: Custom animation, click add effect, entrance, appear

Adapting – 4 Phases What About Going Native? Honeymoon Phase Anthropologist as “Exotic Outsider” Critical Period Anthropologist as “Tolerated Stranger” Initial Recovery Anthropologist as “Town Clown” Adjustment Anthropologist as “Marginal Native” What About Going Native?

…always a 5th wheel

Culture Shock Bronislaw Malinowski Hortense Powdermaker Napoleon Chagnon

Jean Briggs – Kapluna Daughter

Napoleon Chagnon -- Yanomamo

Exoticizing the Cultural “Other”

First Fieldwork 1984-85 i

Entry

Culture Shock

Life Shock

Establishing a Role

Living With a Family

Developing Trust & Rapport Lack of understanding on what an anthropologist is Missionary? CIA agent? Chance events Getting beneath the surface Factions

Methods & Techniques for Data Gathering Participant Observation Key Informants Collecting Data Interpretation Ethics

Participant Observation …the Hallmark of Anthropology

Participation: Observation: Etic: Emic: Involvement / immersion; subjective Observation: Detachment; objective Etic: Outsider’s understanding Emic: Insider’s understanding

Key Informants

Analytic Informants

Immersed Informants

Collecting Data Census & Mapping Interviews Eliciting Texts: Oral Histories, Folklore, Myths Genealogies / Kinship Photography Field Notes

Mapping, Census & Sampling Ocotillo, Colima A small village 1984-91

Puruarán, Mich. A large town 1998- present

Interviewing

Genealogies

Field Notes

Interpretation

Pastores

Issues of Validity & Reliability “Truth” & the mutual construction of knowledge Reliability: Robert Redfield vs. Oscar Lewis Margaret Mead vs. Derrick Freeman Napoleon Chagnon vs. Patrick Tierney Rigoberta Menchú vs. David Stoll

AAA Principles of Professional Responsibility Responsibility to Those Studied: Rights & interests must be safeguarded Communicate Aims of the investigation Right to remain anonymous No exploitation of informants for personal gain Reflect on foreseeable repercussions of research & publication Communicate Anticipated consequences Reports to sponsors must also be available to those studied Cooperate with the host community in planning & execution of the research

Responsibility to the Public Responsibility to the Discipline Speak out publicly about research results Responsibility to the Discipline Behavior should not jeopardize future research Responsibility to Students Make students aware of ethical problems Responsibility to Sponsors Honest about qualifications and aims; accept no conditions that violate the ethical principles Responsibility to Own & Host Government Research should not compromise future research