4. What is anthropology?
What is the human
Where do humans condition?
come from?
What differentiates
groups of humans
What differentiates from each other?
humans from animals?
5. What is anthropology?
Linguistic Anthro Archaeology
Biological Anthro Cultural Anthro
9. Ethnography
eth·nog·ra·phy
noun eth- nä-gr -fē
Definition of ETHNOGRAPHY
: the study and systematic recording of human cultures; also : a descriptive
work produced from such research
— eth·nog·ra·pher-f r noun
— eth·no·graph·ic eth-n - gra-fik or eth·no·graph·i·cal -fi-k l adjective
— eth·no·graph·i·cal·ly-fi-k( -)lē adverb
13. What can ethnography do?
Reports through the eyes of the interviewee
Shows you what people do, not just what they say
14. What can ethnography do?
Reports through the eyes of the interviewee
Shows you what people do, not just what they say
Reveals participants as the people they are
15. What can ethnography do?
Reports through the eyes of the interviewee
Shows you what people do, not just what they say
Reveals participants as the people they are
Uncovers how people understand the world
16. How do you do it?
The Old School
(Kitchen Stories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxXT1A4zqcU)
17. How do you do it?
The Old School (Kitchen Stories)
Build trust with your subject
Collect data unobtrusively
Observe without interference
Never become friends
18. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing
19. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing (“excessive self-contemplation”)
20. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing
Understand and state biases
21. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing
Understand and state biases
Recognize the fluidity of culture
22. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing
Understand and state biases
Recognize the fluidity of culture
Know that people have agency
23. How do you do it?
Current Principles
Navel-gazing
Understand and state biases
Recognize the fluidity of culture
Know that people have agency
Be aware of power relations and societal divisions
31. Tips
Record everything
Go to where participants are comfortable
32. Tips
Record everything
Go to where participants are comfortable
Stress that they are the experts
33. Tips
Record everything
Go to where participants are comfortable
Stress that they are the experts
Get them telling stories
34. Tips
Record everything
Go to where participants are comfortable
Stress that they are the experts
Get them telling stories
Be mobile and point out objects to get participants talking
35. Tips
Record everything
Go to where participants are comfortable
Stress that they are the experts
Get them telling stories
Be mobile and point out objects to get participants talking
If possible, do the research over time
37. Rapport Building
Be interested!
Stress that you are there to learn from them
38. Rapport Building
Be interested!
Stress that you are there to learn from them
Invest time and effort in recruiting
39. Rapport Building
Be interested!
Stress that you are there to learn from them
Invest time and effort in recruiting
Call before you go
40. Go ahead and give it a go!
Pair up with someone you don’t know.
Do some ethnography on their mobile phone experiences.
41. Go ahead and give it a go!
Some potential conversation starters:
Tell me about the last phone call you received that was awesome.
What are your gut reactions to receiving a phone call?
What do you do when someone calls you and you don’t want to talk
to them?
