In this class you will learn the methods and ethical responsibilities
of social and cultural anthropology through first hand experience of
research design, field investigation, analysis and reporting. Discover
the potential of anthropology for understanding and contributing to
the world around you.

Ethnography is a holistic approach used by anthropologists to learn
about human culture and society. In ethnographic fieldwork,
researchers become their own vehicles for scientific discovery,
gaining knowledge through the perspectives of people in the context of
their everyday lives. Ethnography has enabled anthropologists to
understand their own and other cultures, help policy-makers reach
decisions based on the experiences and views of the people they
affect, and provide insights into the diverse ways in which societies
meet the challenges of living in today’s world.

This course will introduce students to field and research methods
employed by anthropologists, develop ethnographic skills and
understanding from a variety of perspectives, engaging in observing
and thinking, reading and writing, and listening and discussing.
Students will learn the approaches and methods of ethnography through
intensive, sustained learning-by-doing and through conducting hands-on
field research projects in and around Bloomington.

Community engagement is central for the practice of anthropology. For
this reason this course includes a service-learning component through
Leadership, Ethics and Social Action (LESA). Our engagement with
service-learning will also provide our fieldsite and focus of
investigation. After a short introductory unit on the history of
anthropological practice, the class will collaborate in formulating
research questions and framework of our investigation. Over the
subsequent weeks, we will work in stages to design and carry out the
research to answer our questions. Students will complete a series of
ethnographic lab assignments, in which they will have the opportunity
to gain direct experience in participant observation, mapping and
visual technologies, interviewing, and writing up research findings,
among other research techniques. Through these projects, we will learn
how to develop theoretical propositions and test them from "the ground
up" in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner.

Readings will provide a strong theoretical springboard for us to begin
our investigation. Along with our regular readings addressing specific
methods, we will analyze ethnographies on our research subject.
Through these monographs, we will consider the possibilities for how
we as researchers can meet the challenges of ethnographic thinking,
doing, and writing. Guest speakers with special research expertise
will also join the class on occasion to share their insights.

By the end of this course, students will have developed the skills
necessary to design and carry out their own independent investigations
in diverse fields such as consulting, market research, public health,
international relations, and cultural mediation and advocacy.