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Principles of Ethnographic Work Practice

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:9.00
Study Course Accepted:08.03.2024 14:05:27
Study Course Information
Course Code:KSK_084LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Sociology; Social AnthropologyTarget Audience:Social Anthropology
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Diāna Kiščenko
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfatrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)0Lecture Length (academic hours)0Total Contact Hours of Lectures0
Classes (count)12Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes24
Total Contact Hours24
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Prior basic knowledge of anthropology, basic principles thereof.
Objective:
To gain practical skills for ethnographic fieldwork. During the course, students acquire skills in several methods and techniques that can be used in anthropology (e.g. field note-taking; coding of materials using specialised software). The content of the course is combined with the knowledge acquired in the course Anthropological Research Methods on the basic methodological principles and spectrum of methods of social anthropology.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Qualitative Research Methods in Social Anthropology: Participant Observation, Observation.Classes2.00auditorium
2Qualitative Interviews (In-Depth, Semi-Structured, Unstructured), Basic Methodological Principles of Guideline Preparation.Classes2.00auditorium
3Creative and Experimental Methods.Classes2.00auditorium
4Data Analysis in Qualitative Research: Data Coding Using a Data Processing Software (e.g. MAXQDA).Classes4.00auditorium
5Opportunities and Challenges of Using Qualitative Methods in the Development of Specific Final Semester Papers.Classes2.00auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
During the course, students acquire practical skills in the application of several methods and techniques that can be used in anthropology: 1) go to conduct participant observation/observation for at least 1 hour in a public place, which is agreed upon at the beginning of the course, and take fieldwork notes; 2) develop semi-structured interview guidelines, conduct the interview and transcribe it; 3) try out creative and experimental methods; 4) encode the resulting data using software. Students upload all the material collected to the e-learning environment and receive feedback on their work. At the end of the course, students discuss the possibilities and problems of using qualitative methods in the development of specific final semester papers, for example, in mini-ethnography, which is the final paper of the course Anthropological Research Methods. To assess the overall quality of the study course, students must complete the course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
Active participation in classes – 50%; completion of practical tasks during the course – 50%.
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:The student is familiar with the central methods and approaches used in social anthropology.
Skills:The student is able to: conduct observation/participant observation; make fieldwork notes; develop interview guidelines; conduct a semi-structured qualitative interview; apply creative and experimental research methods; analyse the data obtained using software.
Competencies:The student independently develops an ethnographic research design, selecting the necessary qualitative research methods, and analyses the empirical material.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Harding, J. 2019. Qualitative Data Analysis. 2nd edition. London: SAGE Publications.
2Bernard, H. R. 2017. Research methods in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. 6th edition. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
3O'Reilly, K. 2012. Ethnographic methods. 2nd edition. New York: Routledge. (Akceptējams, kvalitatīvs un viegli uztverams avots par etnogrāfisko metodi)
4Rubin, H. J. 2012. Qualitative interviewing: the art of hearing data. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications cc (Akceptējams izdevums)
5Atkinson, P. A. 2001. Handbook of Ethnography. London: SAGE. (Akceptējams izdevums)
6Mārtinsone, K. un Pipere, A., red. 2021. Zinātniskās darbības metodoloģija: starpdisciplināra perspektīva. Rīga: Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte. (latviešu plūsmai)