410.690.01
Ethnographic Fieldwork
Course Status
Cancelled
Course Status
Cancelled
Location
East Baltimore
Term
1st Term
Department
Health, Behavior and Society
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2024 - 2025
Instruction Method
In-person
M, W, 1:30 - 2:50pm
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
Yes
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Prerequisite
None
Introduces students to ethnography as a method of qualitative research (fieldwork) and a product of this research (written accounts and monographs). Introduces skills and data collection methods fundamental to ethnographic fieldwork, particularly immersion, participant observation, writing field notes, and listening. Discusses what constitutes “the field” in ethnographic fieldwork, the holistic perspective, and “thick description.” Explores key theoretical and methodological issues in contemporary ethnographic fieldwork such as ethics, positionality, reflexivity, and power. Emphasizes the role of ethnographic research in public health. Prepares students to critically assess ethnographic writing. Combines lecture, discussion, and practical skill development.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss some of the major concepts and theoretical developments that have shaped ethnographic inquiry from the mid-20th century to the present
- Formulate research questions that probe the connections between the public's health and the social worlds in which individuals and institutions are situated
- Use multiple methods for the collection and interpretation of ethnographic data
- Critically read and evaluate ethnographic texts
- Distinguish ethnographic fieldwork from other forms of qualitative inquiry
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 65% Written Assignment(s)
- 25% Participation
- 10% Presentation(s)