Ethnography and the Material World

Ethnography, understood as cultural description, is associated primarily with anthropology although it is a practice taken up by many other disciplines. The term generally refers to two related approaches to or phases of scholarly research: the practice of fieldwork (participant observation) as a method of gathering data; and a particular genre of “writing-up” the data that privileges rich (or what Clifford Geertz called “thick”) first-hand narration. This course is a primer on both aspects of ethnography and offers an intensive workshop for students to engage with the methods of fieldwork (such as participant observation, interviews and transcription, apprenticeship, audio-visual recording) and modes of scholarly narration based on direct experience and social interaction. Students will read a few ethnographies of the material world (topics TBD based on enrollment, but ranging from contexts of object production and circulation to consumption); discuss various methods and the ethics of engaged research; workshop primary fieldwork exercises conducted with communities of their choice in or near New York City; and produce a final, synthetic, ethnographic essay. This course provides students with the reflexive tools and sensibilities to conduct research on vibrant objects within living communities. Students are encouraged to work on topics relevant to their graduate research interests, qualifying papers, or dissertations. NOTE: To help plan for spring fieldwork, enrolled students should be prepared to meet as a group once at the end of the fall semester. 3 credits. May satisfy the chronological or geo-cultural requirement, depending on final project.