This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2010-2011 (archived)
Module ANTH43515: Ethnographic Enquiry
Department: Anthropology
ANTH43515: Ethnographic Enquiry
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 4 | 15 | Available in 2010/2011 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- Fieldwork and Interpretation
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- To give students a deep understanding of ethnographic and related field methods, including the collection and the interpretation of ethnographic data. This module will build on the more basic knowledge of ethnographic methods in Fieldwork and Interpretation.
Content
- Relation of explanatory theories to ethnographic research.
- Learning and interpreting everyday life:
- participant observation (everyday life as field research),
- non-participant observation
- noticing, querying
- Note-taking, management and analysis of ethnographic field-notes
- Mobile ethnography
- Film and visual anthropology
- Participation, power and collaborative ethnography
- Using other methods as part of ethnography
- Reflexivity in ethnographic research
- Ethical issues in ethnographic research
- Writing ethnography
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- A comprehensive overview and thorough grounding in the use of ethnographic field methods.
- A thorough understanding of the ways in which social scientists interpret ethnographic data.
Subject-specific Skills
- To be able to conduct an ethnographic study using a range of appropriate techniques.
- To be able to analyse and interpret ethnographic data.
- To understand the relationships between ethnographic method and theory.
- To appreciate some of the ethical issues inherent in ethnographic enquiry.
Key Skills
- Critical engagement with literature.
- Written communication skills: producing a clear and well-argued research report.
- Reflexivity: reflecting on own research practice.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures, practicals and project work.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminars (to include presentations, discussions & practical exercises) | 11 | weekly | 2 hours | 22 | |
| Reading and preparation | 128 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Project Report | 100% | Ethnographic Research Project Report | 3000 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
1000 word document on an exercise conducted as part of the seminar-based practicals.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.