Course program
Fieldwork is the fundamental tool in the production of cultural and social anthropological knowledge: through the prolonged immersion of the observer in the context of investigation and more or less structured dialogue with native interlocutors, it allows for the collection of ethnographic material, the documentation of concepts, social practices, and tangible and intangible products, the development of analyses and explanatory hypotheses, and ultimately the production of scientific texts. However, the extreme variability of observable contexts and practices, combined with the subjectivity of both observers and observed subjects and the plurality of theoretical perspectives that can be adopted in the investigation, make it very difficult to propose standardized methodologies that are universally applicable to the ethnographic field, leaving a wide margin of discretion to the choices of each researcher. Through a critical examination of a representative sample of the literature on the subject, we will examine the problems, obstacles, and risks inherent in the research, the goals that inspire it, and the options that can be adopted to achieve the objectives pursued. In addition, ethical issues and legal implications underlying the construction of ethnographic data and the processes of returning and sharing knowledge with the source communities will be addressed. In the final part, the skills acquired will be put into practice through exercises aimed at providing mastery of the investigation methods studied.
Prerequisites
Advanced skills in critically understanding academic texts written in English. Basic knowledge of anthropology, history and geography.
Books
1) The handbook: Okely, Judith 2020 (2012) Anthropological practice. Fieldwork and the ethnographic mehod. London: Routledge.
2) A handout of articles in PDF format that will be provided by the teacher
3) One book of your choice from the following:
Frequency
Attendance, while not mandatory, is strongly recommended (especially for the practical part). The program does not change for non-attending students.
Exam mode
The exam will consist of a two-hour written test with open-ended questions, some of which are mandatory and some optional. Part of the assessment will consist of practical exercises on topics covered in the program.
Lesson mode
The course includes lectures, seminars, the use of audiovisual materials, and practical exercises for applying the methodologies illustrated in class. The teaching program implies that the single topics will be examined through the reference texts.
