GRI 432 - Advanced Ethnography

(3 units) CO12, CO14

Ethnography is the systematic observation of human life to produce sociological knowledge and theory. This course guides students through readings of classic and recent texts, focusing on the relationships between research and writing, description and interpretation, and narrative and theory. Students will also gain experience in the practice of ethnography through workshops on ethics, positionality, power differentials, collecting data, writing fieldnotes, analysis, and crafting claims.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Completion of at least one introductory research methods class, including COM 212, PSY 240, SOC 240; Junior/Senior standing; completion of courses that satisfy CO 1-8

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Spring

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. understand the history of ethnographic research and the various methodologies it comprises.
2. develop a set of approaches to contemporary human cultures based on ethnographic best practices.
3. read scholarly texts critically, with an eye to understanding theoretical frameworks, methods employed, and key arguments.
4. deconstruct ethnographic writing to identify what questions the author asked, what data they used to answer their question, and how it is sociological.
5. demonstrate understanding of the ethical considerations involved in conducting ethnographic research on and with human beings.
6. form theoretical and methodological links between interdisciplinary ethnographic research and their own specific research interests.
7. produce an original ethnographic work.

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