This course is closed, registration is no longer possible.
Ethnography uniquely studies phenomena in their natural context, emphasizing participant perspectives and contextual significance. Ideal for illuminating political and social dynamics, this course equips participants with essential skills for designing, conducting, and evaluating ethnographic research.
Although the ethnographic approach has many strengths, there are also many challenges and issues to be considered when doing ethnographic research:
- How do you define the field you are studying?
- How do you negotiate access and handle interaction with research participants?
- How do you take into account the researcher's presence and influence on what is happening in the field?
- How do you document what you observe, and how do you analyze, interpret and infer from your own observations and field notes?
- What are the relevant criteria for evaluating ethnographic research, and what about the generalizability of one's findings?
These are just some of the questions that should be addressed in ethnographic studies. Through active participation in this seminar, you will gain the knowledge and tools to engage with such questions in relation to your own research projects as well as ethnographic studies in general. In relation to this, the seminar will also enable you to navigate the complex landscape of social science research methods and methodologies from the perspective of ethnography and reflect on challenges and benefits when combining ethnographic approaches with other social science approaches.
