In recent years, ethnography has become increasingly popular in political science and international relations. This course offers a deep dive into ethnography as both a methodology and research product, centering questions of power and perspective as it moves through theoretical and practical issues related to this mode of inquiry. We begin the semester studying early ethnographic practices and their connection to imperialism, examining how ethnography has evolved in political science and related disciplines. With this foundation, we proceed to practice ethnographic methods as students conduct field exercises around a research question of their own selection. Readings, discussions, and exercises will center on fieldsite and topic selection, participant and direct observation, fieldnote writing and recordkeeping, audio/visual recordings, interviewing, ethics, fieldwork safety, and questions surrounding positionality, reflexivity, and rigor. A third component of the course will entail close readings and intensive discussion of selected ethnographies alongside ethnographic writing practice.
This course will be valuable for students seeking to conduct fieldwork in their research. Students will come away with practical experience conducing ethnographic fieldwork on a limited scale, as well as a thorough understanding of disciplinary debates surrounding ethnography as a mode of study.
- Teacher: Dhouha Djerbi
- Teacher: Michelle Weitzel