Ethnography Essay

Culture is defined as the traditions, customs, norms, beliefs, values and thought patterning passed down from generation to generation (Jandt 2010). The world consists of many different cultures. In this Ethnographic Interview, I was given the opportunity to explore and learn more about a culture different from my own. Through observation I’ve have seen how people of different cultures differ from mines. For example, the type of foods a person

Ethnographic research is the scientific description of specific human cultures, foreign to the ethnographer. Each ethnographer has his or her own way of conducting research and all of these different ideas can be transmitted and understood in a number of different ways. Because there is no one set idea of how an ethnographer should go about his or her research, conflicts arise. In Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco, Paul Rabinow uses a story like process to discuss his experiences during his research in Morocco. This makes it easier for the reader to understand his ideas then just having a technical book about the many different aspects of Moroccan life that he may have discovered. In Writing Culture: the Poetics and Politics of

I set out to find a place to begin my observations, not knowing what to fully expect, what I may find. So I decided to look around at what is close to my home that isn’t a place I frequent or have even visited at all. Then it came to me, the Starbucks that is only about a mile away is a perfect place for me to observe subjects that I would consider different from myself, seeing as how I consider such obscene prices for coffee ridiculous. Starbucks is a very popular chain of coffee vendors that describe their product as more about quality than what Americans are used to in typical coffee joints.

James P. Spradley (1979) described the insider approach to understanding culture as "a quiet revolution" among the social sciences (p. iii). Cultural anthropologists, however, have long emphasized the importance of the ethnographic method, an approach to understanding a different culture through participation, observation, the use of key informants, and interviews. Cultural anthropologists have employed the ethnographic method in an attempt to surmount several formidable cultural questions: How can one understand another's culture? How can culture be qualitatively and quantitatively assessed? What aspects of a culture make it unique and which connect it to other cultures? If

While conducting my ethnography I have interviewed five All-Girl members, and four Coed members of the Spirit program. By interviewing one more All-Girl members I hope to even out my biases due to being a part of the Coed team. Yet, before defining the differences found between the two teams, I will share the apparent similarities. Both teams show strong linguistic accommodations which I have observed at numerous appearances, such as changing the way one would speak due to their audience. When present at an appearance all members of the Spirit program are expected to intermingle and socialize with attendees. During the course of this exchange it became apparent that accommodating for the age of audience drastically changed the way the team members spoke. For example, when Jules Wazny was speaking to an elderly man she reduced the tempo at which she spoke and asked questions about the game and respectfully shook his hand; yet when she was speaking to a child she spoke in a higher pitch tone, offered the child her poms to play with, and asked questions such as how old the child was. These actions represent convergence, changing ones language to better fit the style of the recipient, which was not only found with All-Girl Cheerleader Jules Wazny, but also throughout the program. An example from a Coed member was Vivi Benbrook changing how she spoke with a middle age male, in a calm and respectful manor asking questions of the game such as where his seats where, and if he thought we were going to win. Contrast this to when she spoke to an elderly women, she used a higher pitch when asking if she was excited, and telling her to stay warm in this cold weather. All members, once wearing affiliated attire, whether it is practice gear,

This is my first time that I come to New York, so I am curious about many things in this new place, such as the famous resorts, and the people here. As we know, the Times Square is very famous in New York. When I was in China, I hope I can visit Times Square, because I saw Times Square was very great in some of the opening of American series. Now, I am in New York, and I have enough chances to visit Times Square whenever I want. In there, it gives me a new horizon to understand the culture that is different from China.

Imagine a trip to one of the most beautiful mountain sceneries in the world. Now imagine that this scenic trip also includes sporting entertainment and historic landmarks. Welcome to the mountains of the Pyrenees. There is absolutely nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain by booking a summer vacation to this realm of marvelous and beautiful land. The Pyrenees is an exquisite range of mountains located in southwestern Europe. This intensely beautiful mountain range is the barrier dividing Spain and France. It is approximately 21,380 square miles and contains parts of twelve French and Spanish provinces. Discover the beautiful significance of the Pyrenees National Park. Witness the historical thrilling events of the Tour de France as it passes through the Pyrenees route.

A norm is a socially expected behavior that may change based on a person, place, or situation. An agency is a freedom of choice. For my ethnographic research, I have to observe a public place in which people commonly interact with each other. A public place that stood out to me was the Lockwood library third floor. I chose this location because it is not similar to a usual library, it is the complete opposite. Libraries enforce strict rules like no eating and no talking. Lockwood floor three says otherwise. The floor is filled with long tables that can seat around twenty people each. Ironically, there are no bookcases on this floor, just tables everywhere. There is one group study room on this floor which can be reserved by students which is the size of an average classroom.

Anthropology is defined, in the most basic terms, as the study of other cultures. This field can subsequently be divided into more specific sects, and contain more precise defining characteristics, but this definition is essentially all that is needed. Anthropology is a science that attempts to look at other cultures and draw conclusions to questions that are raised while studying. An anthropologist is someone who accepts what is presented before them and is driven by an urge to understand each presentation as thoroughly as possible. Once the concept of anthropology is accepted, one must identify the means of reaching the goal of this field. In the sect of social anthropology, this vehicle is known as

The goal of this assignment was to interview someone who was culturally different than me and help me reflect on biases I had before and after the meeting. Through administering this ethnographic interview, I learned about a culture from the worldview of my interviewee. Before starting the interview, I was unaware of the “white privilege,” which is the culture who encompasses the tools and opportunities in society. Now after conducting the interview, I am aware this is not a bias, not everyone is granted the same opportunities. People from different cultures are not given the same opportunities in their country or in the United States. According to Sue and Sue (2016), problems encountered by clients are often due to organizational or systematic factors. Thus, through the counseling profession, it is essential that I advocate for my multicultural clients and their cultural groups. Not only on a client-therapist level but on local and state levels as well. It is important as a therapist to put yourself in the position of the client to be empathetic toward their lived experiences. Before this interview, I considered myself a multicultural competent therapist, yet I learned a lot about Venezuelan culture and about myself as a therapist.

Our memories often time embellish the memories we once had of such great people, places, times, and etc. We live these times up to standard that makes us reminisce, hurt, contemplate and so much more. The power of a photograph has been described to have worth a thousand words, metaphorically meaning of course, that what an image can capture in one instance, something that may not ever be captured through words. For too many centuries we have been without, what many of us now take for granted, the photograph. What we capture in a picture, has much more value than we often time see in our commercials, people, places, they tell a story to the ignorant, paint a picture for blind, give the deaf something to listen to, and so much more.

The caretaker first noticed that something was when her mother was cooking but continue to leave out ingredients in the food. The mother also would start rumors about the people in the neighborhood and family members. On one incident is when the mother lost her purse and blamed in on her grandson saying he stole her purse. She had everybody thinking he stole her purse and also tried to stab him with a knife when along the purse was at the church. In another incident the caretaker stated “mother say her daughter child’s father was sleeping with her cousin”.

Working on the laptop. Reading navigating on the mobile phone. Listening to music. Watching video on the PC.

While others claim that photography captures the inner soul of a person, or deliberately defines it as painting or writing with light, but in my case, it is just simply a newfound love hobby. I undeniably adore and look up to expert photographers I encounter down the road may it face-to-face or the other way around. In my heart, I silently desire that someday, with hard work, determination, and perseverance, I will become professional and famous as they are. Since my husband bought a Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) as an anniversary gift, my penchant for photography commenced and ignited. Let me detail the essential truths behind my passion over photography.

Anthropology is field where research plays the biggest part in dissecting and understanding a topic. Surveys and questionnaires, are not as effective in this field as it would have been in engineering is because, anthropology deals with people. According to me people would not be slight bit interested divulging the details of their life with a stranger, whom they just met on a piece of flimsy paper. Even if they are willing to do that, they may only give a vague sketch of their life or the worst case scenario, where the participants are illiterate. Thus Field work regardless how excruciatingly long and hard it is, it is very important because it gives the holistic view on a topic as an outsider as well as an insider.